Australian dies of rare mosquito-borne disease after visiting Thailand

[baldrick]

Australian dies of rare mosquito-borne disease after visiting Thailand - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

An Australian man returned from Thailand has died from the rare but potentially fatal mosquito-borne disease, Japanese encephalitis.

Key points:

• Japanese encephalitis causes brain infection that is fatal in 20 to 30 per cent of cases
• There is no risk man's illness could endanger other Australians, doctor says
• Doctor says man had not been vaccinated and didn't seek pre-travel advice about virus

It is understood to be only the 10th case of the disease recorded in Australia since 2001 and one of only a handful of deaths in that time, although Japanese encephalitis is endemic in South-East Asia, where it is most commonly found in rural or farming areas.
The Victorian man in his 60s had visited Phuket for 10 days in early May and became lethargic on day eight.
After returning home he struggled to stay awake and went to hospital a few days later in a confused state.
His conscious state continued to diminish, and he was eventually admitted to the intensive care unit, where he died.
Japanese encephalitis causes a brain infection that is fatal in about 20 to 30 per cent of cases.
But not all mosquitoes carry the virus and the risk of catching it is "vanishingly rare", according to Steven Tong, who treated the man at Royal Melbourne Hospital.
"We don't have Japanese encephalitis within Australia itself, so it has to be acquired during travel to areas of risk," he said.
"That depends on going to those areas and being exposed to mosquitos carrying the virus, being bitten by an infected mosquito, and then developing the disease.
"Most figures suggest that for travellers to endemic areas such as Thailand, the risk is probably in the order of one in a million to one in 500,000 travellers to those areas will get Japanese encephalitis.

[CaptainNemo]

Is it really that rare? I got jabs for that nearly 20 years ago before studying abroad in the far east.

[Slick]

Japanese encephalitis

Cant say Ive had jabs for this shit. Ive had shots for just about everything including Anthrax, but to my knowledge, not this one.

[CaptainNemo]

I think it was probably the most expensive one I've ever had.

[Wilsonandson]

One in a million chance getting it.
The prize of unluckiest sod on the face of the planet goes to....

[cyrille]

I think it was probably the most expensive one I've ever had.

Well, Japanese...

[jamescollister]

I live in a high risk area, but few ever contract it as all the kids get shots at school for it.
It's 2 needles over a period of a week or month can't remember, I had us done with the swiss drug, no side effects, schools use a cheaper mouse brain injection, can give you flue like symptoms.

Now when I first brought the kids over here I checked with the tropical disease doctor in Australia, he was unaware of any danger from Japanese encephalitis in this area.

If no one gets it, there's no danger according to the reported numbers, if everyone has been vaccinated for it, they don't get it, but the disease is still out there.

Think the shots cost 1000 Baht per person for the 2, we went to a kids doctor for them [young kids] she was about 70 km away and was unaware that my area was a high risk zone.

Didn't know Phuket was a risk area, so may be the guy travelled elsewhere.

[David48atTD]

^ Jim, have your kids had the Thai Shots?

I'm just thinking about our Boys.

We are central Thailand, sort of outer Bangkok.

I have no idea if the kids in these parts get vaccinated or not for it.

Thanks

[Chittychangchang]

Had this jab 25 years ago for a trip to central Africa.
Expensive at the time, also had yellow fever and a few others that I carn't remember now.
Took a three month supply of quinine for malaria but that sent my eyesight temporarily weird so stopped taking it.
Some weird stuff out there in the world.
Fore warned is fore armed .
Guess this victim was unlucky.
Kids have had the MMR jabs and tetnus, try to avoid mossie drug vaccines and use the mossie nets or avoid certain areas.

[jamescollister]

^ Jim, have your kids had the Thai Shots?

I'm just thinking about our Boys.

We are central Thailand, sort of outer Bangkok.

I have no idea if the kids in these parts get vaccinated or not for it.

Thanks

Yes my kids have been vaccinated, but there are not many areas where the government vaccinates. Only high risk places and I don't believe there are too many high risk areas.

[VocalNeal]

I'm just thinking about our Boys.

We are central Thailand, sort of outer Bangkok.

Next time you come into town. The Dept. of Tropical Medicine near Victory Monument.

[nidhogg]

^ Jim, have your kids had the Thai Shots?

I'm just thinking about our Boys.

We are central Thailand, sort of outer Bangkok.

I have no idea if the kids in these parts get vaccinated or not for it.

Thanks

Yes my kids have been vaccinated, but there are not many areas where the government vaccinates. Only high risk places and I don't believe there are too many high risk areas.

Pretty sure that is not right. Jev vaccine has been part of the child immunization program nationally since 1990 or so.

[David48atTD]

^ ^^ Will investigate both replies.

[jamescollister]

World Health Organization• SEARO/FGL/IVD • 31 August 2016
World Health Organization• SEARO/FGL/IVD • 31 August 2016
Immunization and
Vaccine Development
South-East Asia Region
Immunization and
Vaccine Development
South-East Asia Region
Thailand
2016
Immunization
system highlights
„
There is a comprehensive multi-
year plan (cMYP) for

„
„
JE live a
ttenuated vaccine started in
2013 in 8 provinces then expanded
to cover 29 provinces in 2014 and
will be expanded the whole country
in 2016

So there was a national JE vaccination of some other type , but they are moving over to the live type, that's why the kids were getting at school.

[nidhogg]

World Health Organization• SEARO/FGL/IVD • 31 August 2016
World Health Organization• SEARO/FGL/IVD • 31 August 2016
Immunization and
Vaccine Development
South-East Asia Region
Immunization and
Vaccine Development
South-East Asia Region
Thailand
2016
Immunization
system highlights
„
There is a comprehensive multi-
year plan (cMYP) for

„
„
JE live a
ttenuated vaccine started in
2013 in 8 provinces then expanded
to cover 29 provinces in 2014 and
will be expanded the whole country
in 2016

So there was a national JE vaccination of some other type , but they are moving over to the live type, that's why the kids were getting at school.

If I remember they were getting a Chinese mouse brain derived inactivated vaccine. The more recent vaccines are just better.

[boi]

from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

"Most human infections are asymptomatic or result in only mild symptoms. However, a small percentage of infected persons develop inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), with symptoms including sudden onset of headache, high fever, disorientation, coma, tremors and convulsions. About 1 in 4 are fatal"

Note: "About 1 in 4 are fatal' is poor wording on CDC's part. What they mean is that 1 in 4 of the cases that develop brain inflammation (enchapalitis) are fatal, and the CDC says enchephalitis cases are a small percentage of all infections of this virus.

In other words, very few fatalities.

Most who do come down with the dangerous encehphalitis will be people who are previously sick, ill, low immune systems, poor people with poor nutrition, alcoholics, live in heavy air & water pollution, poor sanitation, crappy drinking water, low Vitamin D level, etc.

[Seekingasylum]

I was advised that Thailand as a destination was not an area, per se, requiring immunisation for JE unless one was heading well North or into the bordering areas of Laos and where there is a prevalence of mosquitos and pigs. I was off to Luang Phabang so had the jab at the then princely cost of £80, as I recall. In fact the only mandatory jabs the nurse advised were Hepatitis A and a booster for Tetanus/Polio.