title: Public health response to the first case of Japanese encephalitis in Delhi, 2011.
abstract: Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is an acute viral zoonotic infection of the central nervous system. A confirmed case of JE was reported in the MVH, Pooth Khurd, following which the epidemiological investigation was carried out in the study area. Clinical/Syndromic surveillance started in the hospital. The local practitioners and anganwadi workers were contacted and requested to report similar cases in their areas. Serosurveillance to delineate high risk population, animal and vector survey done by taking transect walks through the colony to look for presence of amplifying hosts like pigs, ducks etc. Out of 2328 persons surveyed, 404 persons were found to have/had fever in the preceding one month. Current fever cases were 166, out of which 9 fitted into the criteria of AES. Large water body with vegetations was present within the colony. Piggeries and ducks were found in the colony. In the hospital 9 AES cases were screened. In total only 18 (9 from field, 9 from hospital) cases subjected to testing and found to be negative for IgM specific for JE. In total only 18 (9 from field, 9 from hospital) cases subjected to testing and found to be negative for IgM specific for JE. Most probably the above case of nine year child is the first case of JE indigenous to Delhi. The environmental conditions were conducive for the transmission of the viral agent. Further research is hence recommended to find the missing links and to prevent outbreaks in Delhi.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Routray
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sahoo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004372:Ducks; D004672:Encephalitis, Japanese / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005334:Fever; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology