Systematic fight over the years helped in tackling encephalitis, says ICMR expert

Kant said annually 2,000 AES patients used to be admitted to BRD Medical College – the only tertiary care hospital in Gorakhpur division. Case Fatality Ratio ranged between 20–30%.

Mohita Tewari
  • Published On Dec 31, 2021 at 01:00 PM IST
Mass immunization carried out since 2006, setting up of Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) and encephalitis treatment centres at district hospitals helped in fighting encephalitis a big way in Gorakhpur division, said Dr Rajni Kant, director, ICMR, regional centre, Gorakhpur.

At a session on ‘systematic slaying of encephalitis’, he said, “Outbreaks of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) with high fatality have been reported from the Gorakhpur division since 1978 (3500 cases, 1100 deaths). Japanese Encephalitis (JE) was also a consistent and leading cause of the AES outbreak in Gorakhpur.” He said the mass vaccination was launched in 2006, a year after the region witnessed the second largest outbreak of JE, where in 5,737 cases and 1,344 deaths were reported.

Advt
Kant said annually 2,000 AES patients used to be admitted to BRD Medical College – the only tertiary care hospital in Gorakhpur division. Case Fatality Ratio ranged between 20–30%.

Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV) accounted for half of the AES cases admitted during 2005. However, JE cases declined substantially, after the introduction of the JE vaccine in 2006, he said. “Strengthening of surveillance, vector control, mass immunization, rolling out of vaccine and setting up of 66 Encephalitis Treatment Centres (ETC), PICU in District hospitals and mini PICU at Gorakhpur, Deoria, Kushinagar and Maharajganj helped immensely in the fight against encephalitis,” he said He said the major recommendations for prevention and control of AES include setting up the ELISA testing facility for dengue, JE, and Scrub typhus at Primary Health Centres , Community Health Centres, and district hospitals DH.

Also, availability of Doxycycline and Azithromycin at all PHCs, CHCs, and district hospitals should be ensured, he added. He said the training of clinicians as well as all health care providers for identification of signs and symptoms of scrub typhus infection and treatment, sensitization of the community for risk factor reduction for scrub typhus infection and continued vaccination against Japanese Encephalitis, ensuring high coverage with both doses of the vaccine is recommended.
  • Published On Dec 31, 2021 at 01:00 PM IST
Be the first one to comment.
Comment Now

Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals

Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis.

Download ETHealthworld App

  • Get Realtime updates
  • Save your favourite articles
Scan to download App