2020-2022: A chronicle of the pandemic
Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine 87% Effective: ICMR
The efficacy ofimmunization
vaccination is around 86.7%, according to a new study by the ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, published in the latest issue of the Journal of Medical Virology.
The study holds great significance as despite government immunization drives, the disease persists among children in central India.
Researchers conducted the study in 2018-2020 in Maharashtra and Telangana to estimate Japanese encephalitis vaccination effectiveness among children in the age group of 1-15 years. The government uses Chinese-made live-attenuated SA 14-14-2 vaccines.
Japanese encephalitis is the main cause of acute encephalitis syndrome in South Asia, including India. It is spread by Culex mosquitoes, with Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh being the high-burden states.
There are 68,000 cases globally per year. In India, Japanese encephalitis cases are reported to be high in the north-central and north-eastern regions, medium to high endemic in the south and low in the north-west region.
Elimination of Japanese encephalitis is one of the major priorities of the central government. The government has been running large campaigns to reach out the children aged 1–15 years.
Following the mass vaccination campaigns, the vaccine was introduced as a single dose at 16–18 months in the routine immunization schedule during 2010–12. Later, in 2013, an additional dose was offered at 9–12 months of age.
The high level of efficacy is most likely due to the two-dose routine immunization implemented after 2013, the study noted.
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Concern Over Deaths Of JE-vaccinated Patients
Guwahati: The death of vaccinated patients due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is posing a bigger threat to the population vulnerable to the deadly vector-borne disease in Assam.According to official records of the state health department, accessed by TOI, 12 of the 32 JE deaths occurred this season in Assam were JE-vaccinated patients, while the rest of fatalities was not.JE, which was mostly confined to about seven upper Assam districts till 2019, by this year has spread to 33 of the 35 districts across the state with 6.6% case fatality rates — highest among all vector-borne diseases."We have seen that the vaccinated patients, who died of JE, had been suffering from co-morbid conditions (like diabetes, cancer etc.) or they were elderly people," Assam NHM executive director Manoj Choudhury told TOI.Though no official comments were available on the efficacy of the JE vaccines, sources said there is scope of analysis of "many aspects" after the death of a dozen vaccinated patients.The datasheet revealed that this year, JE deaths have been reported from 18 districts so far with the highest four deaths confirmed from Charaideo district in upper Assam, followed by three each in northern Assam's Biswanath and lower Assam's Dhubri districts. In most of the remaining districts, one to two fatalities have been reported. The number of JE cases has increased this year, if compared to the previous year. While 398 JE cases were reported in Assam last year till September 8, this year, during the corresponding period, 486 JE cases have been confirmed by the health department. Last year, 87 JE deaths were reported with a case fatality rate of 21.9%.Except Tamulpur and West Karbi Anglong districts, JE cases have been reported from all districts of the state this year. Health department sources said sporadic cases have been a concern in several districts from where fatalities have also been reported. This year, the highest 50 JE cases have been confirmed by the health department in upper Assam's Jorhat district, followed by 42 cases in Nagaon and 36 cases in Golaghat district."Usually JE cases peak in July but we are on alert even in September," an official said.Sources said the health department has geared up for adult JE vaccination in Dhubri and Karimganj districts, tentatively in November, following the Union health ministry's approval. Dhubri has a target of administering 8.93 lakh doses, while the inoculation target is 6.95 lakh in Karimganj.A proposal was sent to the health ministry last year for 96 lakh JE vaccines, which included 17 lakh doses for lower Assam districts.IMI Phase 2 Starts Today To Inoculate Kids, Expecting Moms
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Indore: Health authorities are all set to start second phase of Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 5.0 from Monday to inoculated children and pregnant women. The second phase would continue till September 16, wherein all eligible children for different vaccines available under universal immunisation and pregnant women would be inoculated.District immunisation officer Dr Tarun Gupta said, "There are no new targets for this phase. The efforts would be cover all those eligible children and pregnant woman with vaccines."
"Those who are inoculated in phase one and requiring second dose of the antigen would be inoculated and other eligible also," said Dr Gupta.
The authorities inoculated 100 per cent of targeted 2781 pregnant women and 98 per cent of 11325 children aged up to five years under IMI 5.0 held across the state from August 7 to 12, showed records from health office.The authorities provide immunisation against 12 vaccine preventable diseases. It is done nationally against 11 diseases - diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, rubella, severe form of childhood tuberculosis, rotavirus diarrhoea, hepatitis B, meningitis and pneumonia caused by Haemophilus Influensa type B and pneumococcal pneumonia. The immunisation is carried out sub-nationally against 1 disease - Japanese Encephalitis (JE vaccine is provided only in endemic districts) under universal immunisation programme.
Dr Gupta further said, "There would be around 300 sessions on daily basis in this phase to cover all."The third phases of IMI 5.0 would be conducted between October 9 to 14 respectively in the state including Indore.
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