Japanese encephalitis

Statutory notification

• Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• Alert: cases must be reported urgently by telephone to the Public Health Units (Healthy WA) within a few hours of first suspicion of diagnosis.
• See notifiable communicable disease case definitions (Word 1.29MB) for JE.
• Notifications should be made using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 209KB) or regional residents (PDF 209KB).
• For notification of regional residents see contact details of Public Health Units.
• See also description of Statutory medical notifications in Western Australia.

Public health management

• Infectious agent: Japanese encephalitis virus.
• Transmission: Mosquito-borne.
• Incubation period: 5 – 15 days.
• Infectious period: Not applicable. No evidence of person to person transmission
• Case exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: Varies according to symptoms, refer to doctor.
• Immunisation: Vaccine available.
• See Communicable Diseases Network Australia advice regarding vaccination against Japanese encephalitis virus (external site).
• See also Australian Immunisation Handbook, Department of Health – Japanese encephalitis (external site).
• Case follow up: Is conducted by Public Health Units (Healthy WA) and the Communicable Disease Control Directorate.

Guidelines for Public Health Units

• Japanese encephalitis case investigation form (Word 77KB)

Notifiable disease data and reports

• General infectious disease reports
• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard