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Japanese encephalitis is a rare but serious infection you can get from mosquito bites in some parts of the world. If you're travelling to an area where there's a risk of catching it, you can get a vaccine to help prevent it.
Japanese encephalitis is not found in the UK. It's mostly found in rural areas of Asia, but it's rare for travellers to get it.
It's caused by a virus which is spread through mosquito bites.
Places where Japanese encephalitis is found include parts of:
You can get health advice for a country you're travelling to on the TravelHealthPro website.
There are some things you can do to avoid mosquito bites when travelling to areas with a risk of Japanese encephalitis.
use insect repellent on exposed skin, ideally containing at least 50% DEET
sleep under a mosquito net treated with insecticide
when possible, wear long-sleeved tops, trousers or long skirts, socks and shoes to protect your skin from mosquito bites
get advice from a travel vaccination clinic before you travel
A vaccine for Japanese encephalitis is recommended if you're travelling to a part of the world where the virus is found, especially if:
You'll have to pay for the Japanese encephalitis vaccine. You can get it from travel health clinics and pharmacies with travel health services.
Most people who get Japanese encephalitis have no symptoms.
Some people get flu-like symptoms such as:
The symptoms usually go away on their own, but in some people the infection spreads to the brain and causes more serious symptoms such as:
You've recently travelled to an area where Japanese encephalitis is found and you have flu-like symptoms such as:
Tell anyone you speak to about your recent travel, and if you were bitten by a mosquito or might have been.
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Bring any medicines you take with you.
Get medical advice quickly if you have Japanese encephalitis symptoms while you're travelling.
You'll need to be treated in hospital if you're seriously unwell because Japanese encephalitis can be life-threatening.
Treatments for Japanese encephalitis include medicines to help relieve the symptoms, such as painkillers and steroids.
Japanese encephalitis can sometimes cause long-term complications such as paralysis, seizures, and loss of speech.
