Japanese Encephalitis vaccine

The Japanese encephalitis vaccine is recommended for the following people:

• People moving to a country where Japanese encephalitis is endemic (https://www.cdc.gov/japaneseencephalitis/maps/index.html)
• People who make frequent short trips to a country where Japanese encephalitis is endemic (https://www.cdc.gov/japaneseencephalitis/maps/index.html)
• People who are going to make a long trip (longer than one month) to a country where Japanese encephalitis is endemic (https://www.cdc.gov/japaneseencephalitis/maps/index.html)
• People who are going to make a single short trip to a risky country (https://www.cdc.gov/japaneseencephalitis/maps/index.html) during which they will engage in outdoor activities and/or visit rural areas
• People whose accommodations will not have an air conditioner and bed nets

The IXIARO vaccine is the only Japanese encephalitis vaccine registered and available in the US, so in our travel clinic.

The Japanese encephalitis vaccine is not required but the CDC recommends it for Southeast Asia and Western Pacific destinations, where the JE is considered as a major public health issue.

A Japanese encephalitis vaccination should not be given to people who are allergic to it.

People of all age groups should get the second dose of the vaccine at least seven days before departure. There should be a one-week interval between the first and the second doses in order to develop the optimal level of antibodies.

Yes! You’ll get some protection and you’ll continue to develop immunity during your trip.

No! The extra (unnecessary) shot of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine will not harm you.

Please check the date of your last vaccination. You will need a booster dose of if it has been more than a year since your last Japanese encephalitis (JE) shot and you are still at risk of getting the disease (you will be making a long trip to a country where Japanese encephalitis is endemic or you are residing there).

Unfortunately, the United States has no nationwide system that maintains vaccine administration records. You can try to find your records by following the suggestions below.

Since the clinical trials of IXIARO have never been conducted among pregnant women, there is no data on the safety of the JE vaccine administration in this population. Therefore, it not generally recommended to vaccinate pregnant women. However, if a pregnant woman plans to take a long trip to a high-risk area or is going to spend much time outdoors during her short-term trip, it is better to get the Japanese encephalitis vaccine because the risks of the disease are higher than those of the vaccine.

The Japanese encephalitis vaccine [2] Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/je-ixiaro.pdf is safe and effective. It is an inactivated vaccine and serious adverse events are extremely rare. The latter are associated with the possibility of an allergic reaction to the vaccine.
The table below shows the most common side effects of the JE vaccine:

It is important to recognize the Japanese encephalitis vaccine–associated side effects and know what action to take. See the table below.

To prevent Japanese encephalitis infection, all that is needed is to avoid mosquito bites:

• Use insect repellents
• Avoid spending much time outdoors
• Wear protective clothing (trousers and long-sleeved tops)
• Avoid visiting rural areas

The risk of contracting Japanese encephalitis increases significantly if you do either of these things:

• Engage in outdoor activities (cycling, camping, running)
• Live in accommodations without an air conditioner or bed nets

Japanese encephalitis is more common in rural areas.

People can get Japanese encephalitis year-round. However, the number of cases significantly increases during rainy seasons and the pre-harvest season in areas where rice is cultivated. Learn more about Japanese encephalitis transmission seasonality for each country where it is endemic here.