title: Epidemiology and burden of disease from Japanese encephalitis in Cambodia: results from two years of sentinel surveillance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the results from two years of Japanese encephalitis (JE) sentinel surveillance in Cambodia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sentinel site surveillance for JE in children aged 15 years and under was implemented in Cambodia in mid-2006. It was integrated into the routine meningoencephalitis surveillance system. Six hospitals were selected as sentinel sites. Epidemiological information and diagnostic specimens were collected from each patient presenting with meningoencephalitis. Cerebrospinal fluid and sera were tested for presence of immunoglobulin M antibodies against JE and dengue viruses by an ELISA. Surveillance data from 2006 to 2008 were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 586 patients presenting with meningoencephalitis, 110 (19%) were confirmed to have JE. The percentage of confirmed JE cases at individual sentinel sites ranged from 13% to 35% of all meningoencephalitis cases. Mean age was 6.2 years, with 95% of JE cases in children aged 12 years and under. Cases occurred year-round in both 12-month reporting periods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  JE is an important cause of meningoencephalitis in Cambodian children. As JE is a vaccine-preventable disease, an immunization programme could result in a considerable reduction in morbidity and mortality from JE among children in Cambodia.
authors.affiliation: Communicable Disease Control Department, Ministry of Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
authors.forename: Sok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Touch
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hills
authors.forename: Buth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sokhal
authors.forename: Chham
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Samnang
authors.forename: Ly
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sovann
authors.forename: Virak
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Khieu
authors.forename: Sann Chan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Soeung
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: Jaimie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grundy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002160:Cambodia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004672:Encephalitis, Japanese / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D015994:Incidence; D022321:Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D012621:Seasons; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D022321:Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines