Japanese encephalitis
Alert
In early 2022 Japanese encephalitis was detected in piggeries in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
Japanese encephalitis is category 1 restricted matter.
Under Queensland legislation, if you suspect the presence of this disease in any species of animal, you must report it to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 or contact the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne viral disease associated with reproductive losses in pigs and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in horses and people.
Japanese encephalitis is spread by mosquitoes. Waterbirds act as natural reservoirs for the virus, and mosquitoes can spread the virus to people, horses, pigs and other animals.
In animals, signs of disease are most common in pigs and horses. Other animals can be infected but typically do not show signs of illness. These include cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, bats, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, and birds.
Japanese encephalitis is not a food safety concern. Commercially produced pork meat or pork products are safe to consume.
Scientific name
Cause
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), is a member of the Flavivirus genus of the family Flaviviridae.
Distribution
In early 2022, JEV was detected in pigs in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. It is not known how the virus came into mainland Australia. The movement of infected mosquitoes or migratory water birds may have played a part in the virus' spread, combined with significant rain events.
JEV is widely distributed in southeast and southern Asia extending from China and India east to Japan and south into Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
The far north of Australia's Cape York Peninsula continues to be considered an area at risk as seasonal incursions of JEV are occasionally detected in people in the Torres Strait. It is unknown if JEV will continue to be detected in pigs in southern Queensland in future years.
Hosts
- waterbirds
- pigs
- mosquitoes, mainly Culex annulirostris.
Life cycle
JEV is primarily transmitted by bites from infected mosquito vectors and is maintained in mosquito–waterbird or mosquito–waterbird–pig cycles. Australia has a number of mosquito species that are capable of transmitting the virus.
Pigs are known as 'amplifiers' of the virus as they develop levels of virus in their blood sufficient to infect mosquitoes for around 4 days.
Horses and a wide range of other species may be infected but do not develop levels of virus in their blood sufficient to infect mosquitoes, so are not involved in maintaining the disease life cycle.
JEV does not survive for long in the environment and windborne spread of the virus has not been reported.
Affected animals
- pigs
- horses and donkeys
- humans
Clinical signs
Most infections with JEV are subclinical, meaning the animal is infected but shows no signs of disease. Clinical disease in animals is most commonly associated with pigs and horses; reports of disease in other species are rare.
Pigs
In pigs the most common clinical signs are mummified and stillborn or weak piglets, some with neurological signs.
Piglets infected after birth can develop encephalitis (paddling, other neurological signs) in the first 6 months of life. In other cases, wasting, depression or hindlimb paralysis may be seen in suckling piglets and weaner pigs.
Adult sows do not typically show overt signs of disease. Boars may experience infertility and oedematous, congested testicles.
Learn more about information for pig owners.
Horses
Many cases of JEV infection in horses are subclinical, meaning they are infected but show no signs of the disease.
For those cases that show signs of disease, most are mild; however, more severe encephalitis can occur which may be fatal.
Signs can include:
- fever
- jaundice
- lethargy
- anorexia
- neurological signs (incoordination, difficulty swallowing, impaired vision, hyperexcitability).
Overseas, disease has also been reported in donkeys.
Learn more about information for horse owners.
How it is spread
JEV is primarily transmitted by bites from infected mosquito vectors and is maintained in mosquito–waterbird or mosquito–waterbird–pig cycles.
Waterbirds, particularly wading birds such as herons and egrets, are the main source from which transmission of JE virus can occur.
Risk period
The main mosquito vector of JEV, Culex annulirostris, feeds at night, particularly in the periods shortly after sunset and in the early morning.
In temperate endemic areas, infection builds up in waterbirds and then in pigs in late spring and early summer. People and horses are more commonly infected in summer and autumn.
In tropical areas, Japanese encephalitis circulates more or less continuously between mosquitoes, birds, and pigs.
In Queensland, JEV should be considered a potential risk when mosquitoes are present and therefore mosquito management should be included as part of biosecurity planning.
Control
Vaccination
There are no Japanese encephalitis vaccines for animals registered for general use in Australia.
Seek medical advice about Japanese encephalitis vaccination in people.
Treatment
There is no effective treatment for Japanese encephalitis in animals.
Quarantine
Australia has strict import conditions for animals to prevent the entry of Japanese encephalitis and other diseases.
In addition, the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS) provides an early warning system for exotic pest, weed and disease detections across northern Australia (including Japanese encephalitis) that helps address the unique biosecurity risks facing the region.