title: Seroconversion to Japanese Encephalitis Virus Among U.S. Infantry Forces in Korea.
abstract: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is endemic in the Republic of Korea (ROK), posing a medical threat to more than 29,000 U.S. Forces military personnel currently deployed in the ROK. The objective of this study was to provide data on the risk of JEV exposure among U.S. Forces in the ROK. One thousand U.S. Army Soldiers were randomly selected for the study from the cohort of infantry Soldiers deployed in the ROK for a period of at least 330 days from 2008 to 2011. Pre- and post-deployment serum specimens were tested for the presence of JEV antibodies by plaque reduction neutralization test. A total of 2/1,000 (0.2%) U.S. Army Soldiers post-deployment specimens tested positive for JEV antibody. Results from the pre-deployment specimens indicated one true seroconversion and one with titers suggestive of a JEV infection. These results indicate a low, but nonzero risk of JEV exposure among U.S. Army Soldiers in the ROK.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Analysis Division, Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Silver Spring, Maryland; Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, 65th Medical Brigade, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Viral Disease Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland angelia.a.cost.ctr@mail.mil.
authors.forename: Angelia A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Eick-Cost
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Analysis Division, Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Silver Spring, Maryland; Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, 65th Medical Brigade, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Viral Disease Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Analysis Division, Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Silver Spring, Maryland; Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, 65th Medical Brigade, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Viral Disease Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland.
authors.forename: Terry A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Analysis Division, Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Silver Spring, Maryland; Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, 65th Medical Brigade, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Viral Disease Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Putnak
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Analysis Division, Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Silver Spring, Maryland; Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, 65th Medical Brigade, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Viral Disease Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Jarman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004664:Encephalitis Virus, Japanese / Q000276:immunology*; D004672:Encephalitis, Japanese / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D000069078:Seroconversion; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral