Acute Encephalitis Syndrome Surveillance: Challenges and the Way Forward

Japanese encephalitis, an arboviral infection, is a serious public health problem in the Asian region. Globally, it affects 67,900 people per year, of which about a third are likely to die. The change in climate, ecological imbalance, and population growth together with related demands for change in agriculture and animal rearing practices have recently intensified its threat along with that of other viral encephalitides. However, many nations still struggle for disease burden data on acute encephalitides that can be used to plan prevention and control strategies. This review summarizes the current JE/ acute encephalitides surveillance system in Asia and West Pacific region, with a specific focus on India