Th209 - Presence of Japanese Encephalitis Virus-specific Igm and Igg Antibodies in Suspected Pediatric Febrile Illness Cases in Aseer Region, Southwestern Saudi Arabia: A Transitory Experience

Ali Alsuheel Asseri; Saleh M. Al-Qahtani; Ayed A. Shati; Riyad A. Moosa; Harish C. Chandramoorthy

Abstract Text: The presence of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has not been documented in Saudi Arabia, and no systematic screening for JE in vectors (mosquito) or vulnerable populations has been conducted. In the current study, for the first time in southern Saudi Arabia, the presence of JE virus-specific IgM and IgG antibodies was evaluated in blood samples from children visiting the pediatric clinic at the University Hospital of King Khalid University. The results showed 20% seropositivity for JE with 19 (17.7%) subjects testing positive for IgM and two (1.8%) for IgG. No double positivity for IgM and IgG was observed. The mean age of JE-seropositive subjects was 3 and 2 years of age for boys and girls, respectively. The occurrence of the clinical presentation of convulsion was statistically significant in JE-seropositive cases compared to the unknown viral etiology group. Paralysis and altered consciousness were only observed in JE-seropositive individuals, with the majority of cases showing JE seropositivity at date of illness (DOI) from 1 to 3 days, compared to DOIs of 1 day to 4 weeks for cases of unknown viral etiology. From the results, it is evident that JE is present in the community and causes febrile illness; screening for JE can be expedited in suspected viral meningitis and encephalitis cases. Further investigations including cerebrospinal fluid and larger seroprevalence studies can shed more light on the incidence and prevalence of JE in this region of Saudi Arabia