PREVALANCE OF JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS IN PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH ACUTE ENCEPHALITIS SYNDROME IN A TERITARY CARE HOSPITAL OF NORTH EASTERN STATE - TRIPURA

Introduction: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is an arthropod-borne flavivirus, which has a wide distribution in many countries of Asia, Western Pacific and in northern Australia. Twenty-four countries from South-East Asia, Western Pacific regions are endemic for this disease and more than three billion people are at risks of infection. This study is conducted to observe the clinicodemographic profile and prevalence of Japanese Encephalitis in patients presenting with Acute Encephalitis Syndrome Methods: An observational longitudinal study was carried over a period of 8 months from January 2023 to august 2023 among 80 indoor patients admitted in department of medicine of a tertiary care hospital in North-Eastern state in Tripura. Results: Total of 80 patients were admitted in male and female wards of Department of Medicine who were diagnosed to have Acute Encephalitis Syndrome. Among 80 patients 58(72.5%) were male and 22(27.5%) were female. Out of 80 patients 60(75%) serum samples were taken and 20(25%) CSF samples were taken of which 9(11.25%) patients were tested positive for serum and 5(6.25%) tested for CSF respectively. Mean age group of patients with positive results was 50.80±10.35. Most common presentation was fever(100%) followed by focal neurological deficit(57%), headache and vomitings (30%), coma(8%), convulsions(15%) and meningeal signs(30%). Out of 14 patients who were positive for JE 12(86%) patients were from rural areas and 2(14%) people were from urban areas. Out of 14 patients 10(71%) were male and 4 patients(29%) were female respectively. Conclusion: In this study we found that a considerable number of patients are suffering from Japanese Encephalitis which enhances and enlightens our knowledge to think about the disease and its complications to prevent the increasing mortality rates among the patients and create awareness among them as most of them are from rural areas.