Japanese encephalitis claims life

BAYAMBANG — Pangasinenses raised their concern over the death of a 14-year-old student from the dreaded Japanese encephalitis in Barangay San Vicente of this town last week despite the Department of Health’s (DoH) introduction of the vaccine early this year.

The DoH already introduced the Japanese encephalitis vaccine in March to address the public health burden of this disease in the Philippines as vaccination is the only effective measure to stop its transmission and bring down the number of cases.

The fatality, Jasmine Prestoza, displayed similar symptoms with dengue including a fluctuating fever, headache and body ache, but tested negative. After one week of treatment, the child succumbed to the disease.

Some Pangasinenses took the news to social media, stating that an immediate fogging was needed in every barangay of this town. A school teacher pointed out that schools in Bayambang regularly undergo scheduled fogging.

Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne viral disease, spread by the Culex mosquito which breeds in water pools and flooded rice fields, which makes those who live in those areas at most risk.

It is the leading cause of viral encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, in Asia. Children are most at risk of the disease. One in every 250 of those infected with the virus will succumb to severe illness, with an onset characterized by flu-like symptoms such as sudden onset of high fever, chills, headache, and tiredness.

The disease may rapidly progress to severe encephalitis. At this stage, a patient may experience symptoms like mental disturbances and progressive decline in consciousness to coma. Convulsions occur in less than 75 percent of pediatric patients.