CDC rules out Japanese encephalitis • Death of local girl may be due to viral infection, says Sec. Villagomez

After all the hysteria in connection with Japanese encephalitis, the U.S.-based Center for Disease Control has ruled that the death of the four-year old local girl a month ago has nothing to do with the deadly virus.

Another test conducted on a girl who was suspected of having the disease also yielded negative results, according to Department of Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez. The girl has already recovered from her sickness and has long been discharged from the hospital.

CDC has yet to provide the results of the test conducted on animals such as ducks and pigs found in the area, where the family of the deceased lives to find out if these have become hosts of the deadly virus.

“We will continue to communicate with CDC until we get the complete results. The girl’s death may be due to a viral infection, but definitely not Japanese encephalitis,” said Villagomez.

Blood and tissue samples from the deceased were taken and analyzed by CDC.

Japanese encephalitis is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes from infected animals (usually pigs and wading birds) to humans. Since the mosquito that carries the virus breeds in flooded rice fields and pools of water, most human infections occur in rural, agricultural areas in Asia (although occasional cases have been reported from urban locations).

Although tests conducted on the two girls proved that they were not afflicted with the disease, DPH will continue to be vigilant in its campaign to educate the public on how to prevent getting the virus, Villagomez said.

Since Japanese encephalitis is endemic here, the department has always reminded the people on the importance of maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in their surroundings.

The department is asking the public to make sure that their environment does not have any breeding ground for mosquitoes. When children go out in the evening, they should apply insect repellent or wear protective clothing. Mosquitoes, which transmit Japanese encephalitis, thrive mainly on outdoors during the cooler hours at dusk and dawn.

In its early stages, Japanese encephalitis appears to be a flu-like illness with headache, fever gastrointestinal symptoms, confusion and other behavior disturbances. In about every 200 cases, the illness progresses to inflammation of the brain, with more than half of those cases ending in permanent disability or death.

Japanese encephalitis is mainly found in three areas: the Far East, including China, Japan, Korea, Macao, Hong Kong, southeastern Russia and Taiwan; the Indian subcontinent, including India, Bangladesh, southern Bhutan, southern Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka; and Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam and the Philippines. Occasional outbreaks have been reported in Guam and Saipan.