Epidemiology of Japanese encephalitis in the Philippines prior to routine immunization.
- Lopez AL Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines.
- Raguindin PF Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: peter.raguindin@ispm.unibe.ch.
- Aldaba JG Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines.
- Avelino F Department of Health, Manila, Philippines.
- Sy AK Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Manila, Philippines.
- Heffelfinger JD World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines.
- Silva MWT Department of Health, Manila, Philippines.
- 2020-10-31
Published in:
- International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases. - 2020
English
BACKGROUND
Findings were published in 2015 that highlighted the endemicity of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in the Philippines. The policymakers responded by conducting an immunization campaign and strengthening the surveillance system. Using data on the revitalized surveillance system, the epidemiology of JE in the country was updated.
METHODS
Electronic databases were searched, and conference proceedings related to JE in the Philippines were identified until 31 December 2018. Surveillance data from 01 January 2014 to 31 December 2017 were used. The 2015 population census was used to estimate the national and regional incidence for children aged <15 years.
RESULTS
Four studies reported the seroprevalence of JE in the Philippines, which showed increasing seroprevalence with increasing age. Seroprevalence rates were from 0% for infants (aged <1 year) to 65.7% in adolescents (12-18 years) before the immunization campaign. Among five studies on the clinical profile of JE, case fatality ranged from 0 to 21.1% and neurologic sequelae ranged from 5.2 to 81.8% of diagnosed cases. In the surveillance data, JE cases peaked annually from July to October, coinciding with the wet season. The national incidence was estimated at a minimum of 0.7 JE cases/100,000 among children aged <15 years, but higher rates were seen in the northern regions of the country.
CONCLUSION
Improved surveillance affirmed the burden of JE in the Philippines. A subnational immunization campaign in April 2019 was conducted in the northern regions of the country. This paper highlights the importance of including the JE vaccine in the immunization program and sustained high-quality surveillance to monitor its impact on JE control.
Findings were published in 2015 that highlighted the endemicity of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in the Philippines. The policymakers responded by conducting an immunization campaign and strengthening the surveillance system. Using data on the revitalized surveillance system, the epidemiology of JE in the country was updated.
METHODS
Electronic databases were searched, and conference proceedings related to JE in the Philippines were identified until 31 December 2018. Surveillance data from 01 January 2014 to 31 December 2017 were used. The 2015 population census was used to estimate the national and regional incidence for children aged <15 years.
RESULTS
Four studies reported the seroprevalence of JE in the Philippines, which showed increasing seroprevalence with increasing age. Seroprevalence rates were from 0% for infants (aged <1 year) to 65.7% in adolescents (12-18 years) before the immunization campaign. Among five studies on the clinical profile of JE, case fatality ranged from 0 to 21.1% and neurologic sequelae ranged from 5.2 to 81.8% of diagnosed cases. In the surveillance data, JE cases peaked annually from July to October, coinciding with the wet season. The national incidence was estimated at a minimum of 0.7 JE cases/100,000 among children aged <15 years, but higher rates were seen in the northern regions of the country.
CONCLUSION
Improved surveillance affirmed the burden of JE in the Philippines. A subnational immunization campaign in April 2019 was conducted in the northern regions of the country. This paper highlights the importance of including the JE vaccine in the immunization program and sustained high-quality surveillance to monitor its impact on JE control.
- Language
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- English
- Open access status
- gold
- Identifiers
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- DOI 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.10.061
- PMID 33127505
- Persistent URL
- https://folia.unifr.ch/global/documents/152267
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