Hospital-based surveillance for Japanese encephalitis at four sites in Bangladesh, 2003-2005.
We investigated the epidemiology and etiology of encephalitis at four tertiary hospitals in Bangladesh during 2003-2005. Patients who met a clinical case definition for acute encephalitis and had cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis were eligible for enrollment; a standardized sampling pattern was used to enroll eligible patients. Recent Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection was defined by presence of IgM antibodies against JEV in CSF or serum. Twenty (4%) of 492 cases had laboratory evidence of recent JEV infection; two died. All JE cases occurred during May-December, and cases were identified among all age groups. All cases resided in rural areas. Fifteen patients were re-assessed 4-6 weeks after hospitalization; 5 (33%) patients had physical disabilities and 7 (47%) reported cognitive difficulties. Infection with JEV is clearly an etiology of encephalitis in Bangladesh. Population-based studies to quantify burden of disease could assess options for targeted immunization programs.
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh. jhossain@icddrb.org
M Jahangir
MJ
Hossain
Emily S
ES
Gurley
Susan
S
Montgomery
Lyle
L
Petersen
James
J
Sejvar
Marc
M
Fischer
Amanda
A
Panella
Ann M
AM
Powers
Nazmun
N
Nahar
A K M Rafique
AK
Uddin
M Ekhlasur
ME
Rahman
A R M Saifuddin
AR
Ekram
Stephen P
SP
Luby
Robert F
RF
Breiman
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004664:Encephalitis Virus, Japanese / Q000276:immunology; D004672:Encephalitis, Japanese / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M