{"id":356857,"date":"2025-01-24T11:26:17","date_gmt":"2025-01-24T01:26:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=356857"},"modified":"2025-02-26T15:20:58","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T05:20:58","slug":"alerts-issued-about-jev","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2025\/01\/24\/alerts-issued-about-jev\/","title":{"rendered":"Alerts Issued About JEV"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Waterbirds can carry the JEV virus, mosquitoes can then spread it to pigs, horses and humans … horses and humans are “dead-end” hosts, ie. there is no subsequent transmission, whereas the virus can be spread by pigs
(Diagram: Queensland Health)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

January 24, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Queensland DPI and Darling Downs Health have issued alerts after cases of Japanese encephalitis were detected recently in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.<\/p>\n

A Townsville resident who visited Yelarbon, in the Goondiwindi region, was diagnosed with Japanese encephalitis earlier this month and has been receiving treatment in Townsville Hospital.<\/p>\n

This is the first detection of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in a human in Queensland since 2023.<\/p>\n

In Victoria, a person was also diagnosed JEV recently, while in NSW the detection was made in feral pigs.<\/p>\n

There have been no detections in Queensland animals since 2022.<\/p>\n

JEV can cause reproductive issues in pigs and neurological signs in horses, such as lack of co-ordination, difficulty swallowing and impaired vision.<\/p>\n

In humans, it is usually a mild disease but in rare cases can cause very serious complications.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Darling Downs Health spokesperson said JEV was a flavivirus related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses that can be spread by some, but not all, types of mosquitoes.<\/p>\n

\u201cJEV infection is preventable through vaccination and avoidance of mosquito bites,\u201d\u00a0 Darling Downs Public Health Physician Dr Mikaela Seymour said.<\/p>\n

Less than 1 per cent of people infected with JEV usually develop any symptoms of a disease; those who do may get a fever and headache, or abdominal pain and vomiting in children.<\/p>\n

However, an very rare cases, acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) can occur. This severe disease can include a sudden onset of high fever and chills, severe headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, convulsions, paralysis and coma.<\/p>\n

According to Queensland Health, in these severe\u00a0 cases, approximately one-third of patients die and one-third are left with permanent disabilities.<\/p>\n

Free vaccination against JEV is available to at-risk groups and locations around Queensland – including residents in both the South and North Burnett council areas.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Free vaccinations are also available for people who work at or live near a piggery, pork abattoir or pork rendering plant; farm workers and their families (including children aged two months and older); transport workers; veterinarians and others involved in the care of pigs; pig doggers and hunters; and personnel who work directly with mosquitoes through surveillance, control or management.<\/p>\n

In addition to vaccinations, community members should continue mosquito-safe behaviours such as wearing light colours, long sleeves and using insect repellent when outdoors and mosquito screens indoors.<\/p>\n

A DPI spokesperson emphasised that Japanese encephalitis was a notifiable disease in Queensland.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anyone who suspects an animal is showing signs of the disease must report it to either a local veterinarian or call the Emergency Animal Disease hotline on 1800-675-888.<\/p>\n

The most common clinical signs in pigs are abortions, mummified or malformed foetuses and stillborn or weak piglets.<\/p>\n

External links:<\/strong><\/p>\n