Overview
Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is a viral brain infection spread by Culex mosquitoes. These mosquitoes breed in rice paddies and stagnant water, and are most active at dusk and dawn. The virus is found across South and South-East Asia, including India, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, and Japan. Most people infected with JE virus have no symptoms or only mild flu-like illness. However, approximately 1 in 250 infections leads to severe encephalitis — inflammation of the brain — which carries a high fatality rate and frequently causes permanent neurological damage in survivors. At Holborn Clinic, we provide the Japanese encephalitis vaccine — the only JE vaccine licensed in the UK. The 2-dose course should ideally be completed at least 1 week before travel. We can plan the schedule around your other travel vaccinations to minimise the number of visits.