Japanese Encephalitis (JE) continues to pose a serious and significant public health problem in medium-endemic Central India. JE is mainly affects humans with an estimated 70,000 cases every year, of which 86% are from two Asian countries, India and China. The national incidence rate of JE was 1.08 cases per 1,000,000 populations during 2013–2021. In Bihar, the annual incidence rate was 0.55–1.78 per 100000 population during 2009–2014, indicating higher incidence than national rate. Affected person show mild to severe clinical illness with permanent neurologic or psychiatric sequelae among survivor and till now there is no effective antiviral drug exists. Therefore, an enhanced surveillance system is essential for planning and development of control/preventive measures against JE. The aim of the present study is to estimate cases of JE and their seasonal trends in Gaya region of Bihar. The seroprevalence data of one year (January 2021 to December 2021) in samples obtained from suspected JE patients from A.N.M. Medical College & Hospital, Gaya were analyzed. A total number of 35 suspected pediatric cases were studied. Out of these 35 suspected samples tested for JE IgM antibody by IgM-capture ELISA test, 04 (11.42%) were found to be positive for IgM antibody against JE virus. In this study of JE burden a male preponderance were found and all are in pediatric age group (< 16 Yrs). Till now there is no effective antiviral agent against JE virus, therefore effective JE vaccination remains as the sole strategy for control and prevention of JE. The case surveillance should have mandatory notification system that requires all medical practitioners to report clinically suspected and laboratory-confirmed cases within 24 hours, which may help to find out focus of infection and thus to control the spread.

Japanese Encephalitis (JE) continues to pose a serious and significant public health problem in medium-endemic Central India. JE is mainly affects humans with an estimated 70,000 cases every year, of which 86% are from two Asian countries, India and China. The national incidence rate of JE was 1.08 cases per 1,000,000 populations during 2013–2021. In Bihar, the annual incidence rate was 0.55–1.78 per 100000 population during 2009–2014, indicating higher incidence than national rate. Affected person show mild to severe clinical illness with permanent neurologic or psychiatric sequelae among survivor and till now there is no effective antiviral drug exists. Therefore, an enhanced surveillance system is essential for planning and development of control/preventive measures against JE. The aim of the present study is to estimate cases of JE and their seasonal trends in Gaya region of Bihar. The seroprevalence data of one year (January 2021 to December 2021) in samples obtained from suspected JE patients from A.N.M. Medical College & Hospital, Gaya were analyzed. A total number of 35 suspected pediatric cases were studied. Out of these 35 suspected samples tested for JE IgM antibody by IgM-capture ELISA test, 04 (11.42%) were found to be positive for IgM antibody against JE virus. In this study of JE burden a male preponderance were found and all are in pediatric age group (< 16 Yrs). Till now there is no effective antiviral agent against JE virus, therefore effective JE vaccination remains as the sole strategy for control and prevention of JE. The case surveillance should have mandatory notification system that requires all medical practitioners to report clinically suspected and laboratory-confirmed cases within 24 hours, which may help to find out focus of infection and thus to control the spread.