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ABSTRACT

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a re-emerging mosquito borne fl aviviral zoonotic disease responsible for causing hundreds of children death every year in India. The virus has spread its realm of late to various parts of country resulting in reporting of cases in humans from non-endemic areas also. During September-November, 2016, cases of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in children followed by deaths were reported from Malkangiri and adjacent districts of Odisha (as reported by State Health Department, Odisha). During the same period, samples were collected from the swine population of affected and adjoining areas as a control measure for containment of JE in human population. A total of 660 serum samples, 262 blood samples and 35 nasal swabs were collected from swine population of different districts of Odisha including Malkangiri with the help of State Animal Husbandry Department, Odisha. Out of 660 swine serum samples screened using indirect ELISA, 175 samples were found to be positive for JE IgG with a sero-positivity of 26.5 per cent. Out of 262 blood samples screened for JE virus RNA targeting NS1 gene in PCR, 81 samples were found to be positive with overall occurrence of 30.9 per cent. The positive sample from pig blood (MPB2) collected from Malkangiri district was subjected to envelope gene amplification followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis which revealed that isolate from this outbreak belongs to genotype 3 (GIII) of JE virus. Out of 35 nasal swabs screened using RT-PCR, 2 were found positive for JE virus RNA. This is the fi rst report wherein we have detected JE virus RNA from nasal swabs of swine in the fi eld conditions. Further, our fi ndings helped State Animal Husbandry Department and State Health department of Odisha to control the outbreak in humans by taking adequate prevention and control measures.

Keywords: Indirect ELISA, JE, outbreak, RT-PCR, swine