Entomological Research (2007) 37, 267-274

Heung Chul Kim, Michael J. Turell, Monica L. O'guinn, John S. Lee, Sung Tae Chong, Young Ran Ju and Terry A. Klein (2007)
Historical review and surveillance of Japanese encephalitis, Republic of Korea, 2002-2004
Entomological Research 37 (4), 267-274
Abstract: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), transmitted by culicine mosquitoes, is endemic throughout much of South-East Asia, extending to the Korean Peninsula. The zoonotic cycle is from large water birds to culicine mosquitoes, with swine as an amplifying host and man as an incidental host. Culex tritaeniorhynchus, the primary JEV vector in the Republic of Korea, populations peak in late August through to early September when most cases of Japanese encephalitis (JE) are reported. Cx. tritaeniorhynchus were observed near the Demilitarized Zone in each of the years that mosquitoes were assayed for JEV. Each year that vector mosquitoes were assayed for JEV, minimum field infection rates (number of JEV positive mosquites/1000 Cx. tritaeniorhynchus assayed) ranged from 0.31 to 3.27. The epidemiology of JE has been recorded in Korea for more than half a century, from 1949 to 2005. During a major epidemic in 1949, there were 5616 cases and 2729 deaths reported, with levels persisting near epidemic levels of 1000 cases annually thereafter until 1969. Following the introduction and government mandated mass immunization in 1971, JE decreased dramatically. Since 1984, 0-6 cases of JE have been reported each year. However, continued evidence of mosquitoes positive for JEV indicates that JE continues to be a civilian and military health threat to immunocompromised persons in Korea, as well as non-immune US soldiers, civilians and their family members.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Terry A. Klein, Michael J. Turell

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
population dynamics/ epidemiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Culex tritaeniorhynchus		Korea-South