JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS DETECTED IN VICTORIA (JEV)
Agriculture Victoria has advised that Japanese encephalitis (JE) has been confirmed for the first time in Victoria in a piggery in northern Victoria. There have also been concurrent detections in pigs in New South Wales and Queensland.
Japanese encephalitis is an acute mosquito-borne viral disease that can cause reproductive losses and encephalitis in susceptible species. Disease occurs most commonly in pigs and horses but can also rarely cause disease in other animals. It is caused by a flavivirus, Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV).
Animals and people become infected through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The disease is maintained and spread through transmission cycles between mosquitoes (Culex, Aedes and Anopheles genera) and some wild and domestic bird species and pigs.
JEV in Horses – In horses many cases are asymptomatic and most clinical disease is mild, however more severe encephalitis can occur which may be fatal. Signs include fever, jaundice, lethargy, anorexia and neurological signs which vary with severity of the clinical disease. Neurological signs can include incoordination, difficulty swallowing, impaired vision, and rarely a hyperexcitable form occurs. Disease has also been reported in donkeys. Reports of disease in other species are rare.
Further information can be found on the Agriculture Victoria website or speak to your vet if you have any concerns regarding the health of your horse/s.
JEV in People – Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a rare but potentially serious infection of the brain caused by a virus spread to humans through mosquito bites.
No cases of JEV have been detected in humans, however several cases of encephalitis with no identified cause have been detected in NSW and SA in the past month. Most JEV infections are asymptomatic, however those with severe infection (less than one per cent) may experience neck stiffness, coma, and more rarely, permanent neurological complications or death.
Anyone experiencing these symptoms, particularly if they’ve visited regions near the border of Victoria and New South Wales or been in contact with pigs, should seek urgent medical attention.
Avoid mosquito bites by using mosquito repellent containing picaridin or DEET on all exposed skin. Wear long, loose fitting clothing when outside, and ensure accommodation, including tents, are properly fitted with mosquito nettings or screens.
For information related to public health please visit the Victorian Department of Health website https://www.health.vic.gov.au/health-advisories/japanese-encephalitis-virus-detected-in-victoria
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