Introduction : The Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a significant etiological agent of viral encephalitis in Asia. JEV is a zoonotic, vector-borne virus transmitted mostly by Culex (Cx) subgroup of mosquitoes. This study aims to delineate the epidemiological profile and assess the trends of JE incidence from 2022 to 2024.
Methods : To analyse the epidemiological profile of Japanese encephalitis cases in Tamil Nadu, India, during 2022 - 24. The data of confirmed Japanese encephalitis (JE) cases in Tamil Nadu was retrieved from the IDSP- IHIP portal and entered in MS- Excel. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 21.0. Descriptive statistics was used.
RESULTS: From January 2022 to December 2024, 306 confirmed cases of Japanese encephalitis were reported in Tamil Nadu, with the majority aged 10-19 years. The proportion of male cases reported was higher than females. Chennai had the highest proportion at 40.5%, followed by Thiruvallur at 8.2% and Thiruvarur at 6.2%. The highest number of cases (120) occurred in 2022, followed by 112 in 2023 and 74 in 2024. The Health and Family Welfare Department of Tamil Nadu has identified 14 districts as endemic, but between 2022 and 2024, there was a noticeable increase in cases outside these districts also.
CONCLUSION: Japanese encephalitis virus shows a recurring seasonal trend with more cases from December and January, and it correlates with the post monsoon season of the region. This recurring seasonal trend underscores the importance of implementing preventive measures, such as mosquito control and public vaccination campaigns, before the monsoon season begins.