Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link
Volume 23, Number 11—November 2017
Dispatch

Virulence of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Genotypes I and III, Taiwan

Yi-Chin Fan1, Jen-Wei Lin1, Shu-Ying Liao, Jo-Mei Chen, Yi-Ying Chen, Hsien-Chung Chiu, Chen-Chang Shih, Chi-Ming Chen, Ruey-Yi Chang, Chwan-Chuen King, Wei-June Chen, Yi-Ting Ko, Chao-Chin Chang, and Shyan-Song ChiouComments to Author 
Author affiliations: National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan (Y.-C. Fan, J.-W. Lin, S.-Y. Liao, J.-M. Chen, Y.-Y. Chen, C.-M. Chen, Y.-T. Ko, C.-C. Chang, S.-S. Chiou); National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan (H.-C. Chiu); Tri-Service General Hospital (H.-C. Chiu); Taiwan Mennonite Christian Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan (C.-C. Shih); Tungs’ Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Taichung (C.-M. Chen); National Dong Hwa University, Hualien (R.-Y. Chang); National Taiwan University, Taipei (C.-C. King); Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan (W.-J. Chen)

Main Article

Table 2

Estimated incidence of infection and asymptomatic ratios of JEV genotypes I and III among study populations, Taiwan*

Region
Characteristic
Changhua
Taipei
Pingtung
Miaoli
Taichung
Hualien
Taichung
Hualien
p value†
Year
1994
1995
1999
2000
2010
2010
2012
2012
ND
No. specimens (incidence of infection)
966 (171)
974 (88)
638 (67)
411 (137)
656 (146)
905 (151)
632 (105)
375 (75)
ND
NT positive, %
62
69
60
58
65
75
72
66
<0.05
IgM positive, % (A)
4.91
0.90
1.93
1.10
0.98
2.25
3.23
3.67
<0.05
Seroconversion + 
≥4-fold increase in 
NT titer, %‡ (B)
0.58
1.13
0
0.73
1.37
1.32
0.95
1.33
>0.05
Incidence of infection, % (C = A + B)
5.49
2.03
1.93
1.83
2.35
3.57
4.18
5.00
<0.05
Population§ (D)
483,766
2,643,221
909,778
559,703
598,186
339,659
593,780
337,382
ND
Predicted no. infections (E = C × D)
26,559
53,657
17,559
10,243
14,057
12,126
24,820
16,869
ND
Confirmed cases (F)¶
4
3
2
1
2
2
2
2
ND
Asymptomatic ratio (G = F/E)
1/6,640
1/17,886
1/8,779
1/10,243
1/7,029
1/6,063
1/12,410
1/8,435
>0.05
Asymptomatic ratio, 
95% CI 1/5,102–1/8,000 1/15,408–1/21,322 1/8,000–1/9,709 1/8,065–1/13,947 1/6,329–1/7,874 1/5,348–1/6,993 1/10,846–1/14,493 1/7,299–1/10,010 ND

*Serum samples were collected after the Japanese encephalitis season (May–September); multiple serum samples were collected from some participants. JEV, Japanese encephalitis virus; ND, no data; NT, neutralizing antibody.
†Analyzed by using one-way analysis of variance.
‡Among the IgM-negative population, JEV infection was estimated by the observation of an increase in the NT titer, including seroconversion and ≥4-fold increase in the NT titer among subjects with multiple serum samples.
§In Taichung, only residents of the districts around the serum-collecting hospital were included.
¶According to the official report of the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control.

Main Article

1These authors contributed equally to this article.

Page created: October 17, 2017
Page updated: October 17, 2017
Page reviewed: October 17, 2017
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
file_external