Japanese Encephalitis Causes & Risks

Causes

Japanese encephalitis can occur if you are bitten by a mosquito infected with the virus.

Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.

The following factors increase your chance of being exposed to Japanese encephalitis. If you have any of these risk factors, tell your doctor:

• Living or traveling in certain rural parts of Asia—According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been outbreaks of Japanese encephalitis in China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. These countries have controlled the disease through vaccinations. Other countries that still have periodic epidemics include Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, India, Nepal, and Malaysia.
• Being a laboratory worker who might be exposed to the virus