ENCEPHALITIS.
Context-:
- Death toll of children rosed to 69 in Bihar due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome.
- UPSC questions based on Disease- Cause, Symptoms, Vaccine if any, disease carrier, Govt scheme.
- Recent question UPSC prelims- Hepatitis, Zika virus, Dengue.
About:
- Onset of fever and clinical neurological manifestation that includes mental confusion, disorientation, delirium, or coma.
- Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the major cause of AES in India
- Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a flavivirus related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses, and is spread by mosquitoes. Nipah virus, Zika virus are also found as causative agents for AES.
Treatment:
- There is no antiviral treatment for patients with JE.
- Treatment is supportive to relieve symptoms and stabilize the patient.
Vaccine on Japanese Encephalitis:
- Indigenously developed Vaccine by India
- The vaccine has been jointly developed by scientists of National Institute of Virology (NIV), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Bharat Biotech Ltd.
Scope of Disease:
- It predominantly affects population below 15 years.
- There is seasonal and geographical variation in the causative organism.
- JEV has its endemic zones running along the Gangetic plane including states of UP (east), Bihar, West Bengal and Assam, and parts of Tamil Nadu.
- Government Action- Japanese Encephalitis is part of disease covered under Mission Indradhanush India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).
Mains Perspective:
- What are government measures regarding controlling spread of Encephalitis in country and what further need to be done
- Hints:
- Preventive Measure
- Disease is usually controlled only after the arrival of monsoon rains.