Guangdong has recently entered the peak season of epidemic encephalitis B, according to the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Guangdong CDC).
As a mosquito-borne disease, encephalitis B peaks from June to August in South China, and July to September in the north. A higher incidence is found in children under the age of 10.
As the summer vacation comes, many parents may bring their children to the countryside for travelling and family gatherings. Before leaving, remember to vaccinate children to prevent the disease.
(File photo: Xinhua)
Symptoms
People of all ages are susceptible to the disease.
Most infections are mild or without apparent symptoms. In rare cases, initial symptoms include fever, listlessness, sleepiness, lack of appetite, and headache. Some may progress to high fever, disorder of consciousness, and convulsions. Severe cases are characterized by acute onset of respiratory failure, aphasia, paralysis, disorder of consciousness, dementia, and ultimately death.
Transmission
Encephalitis B can infect both humans and animals, which includes livestock (pigs, cattle, horses, goats...), and poultry (chicken, ducks, geese...), while pigs are the primary source of infection.
This disease spreads to people when an infected mosquito bites them, thus creating a transmission cycle between pigs, mosquitoes, and humans.
Prevention tips
Stay away from pigsties.
Wear light-colored, long-sleeved clothes and trousers.
Use insect repellent on exposed skin.
Do not stay in shaded outdoor areas, such as tree shades, bushes, and gazebos, during the time when mosquitoes are frequent (7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.).
Install screen doors and windows in your home and sleep under a mosquito net.
The incidence rate of encephalitis B in children and adolescents has significantly decreased due to the widespread vaccination, whereas it has increased in adults in recent years.
Guangdong CDC advises anyone who experiences clinical symptoms and has recently visited a pig farm or been bitten by a mosquito to inform their doctors of the infection risk in order to receive an early diagnosis and treatment.
Author | Teria Wang (intern), Hannah
Editor | Olivia, Steven, Jasmine, James
