Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccines

Routine vaccination:

• Recommended only for individuals living in endemic areas till 18 years of age
• The vaccine should be offered to the children residing in rural and urban areas in the endemic districts and those planning to visit endemic areas (depending upon the season of travel, duration of stay and type of activities)
• Three types of new generation JE vaccines are licensed in India: one, live attenuated, cell culture derived SA-14-14-2, and two inactivated JE vaccines, namely 'vero cell culture-derived SA 14-14-2 JE vaccine' (JEEV® by BE India) and 'vero cell culture-derived, 821564XY, JE vaccine' (JENVAC® by Bharat Biotech)
• Live attenuated, cell culture derived SA-14-14-2:
  • Minimum age: 8 months;
  • Two dose schedule, first dose at 9 months along with measles vaccine and second at 16 to 18 months along with DTP booster
  • Not available in private market for office use
• Inactivated cell culture derived SA-14-14-2 (JEEV® by BE India):
  • Minimum age: 1 year
  • Primary immunization schedule: 2 doses of 0.25ml each administered intramuscularly on days 0 and 28 for children aged >= 1 to <= 3 years
  • 2 doses of 0.5 ml for children >3years and adults aged ≥18 years
  • Need of boosters still undetermined
• Inactivated Vero cell culture-derived Kolar strain, 821564XY, JE vaccine (JENVAC® by Bharat Biotech)
  • Minimum age: 1 year
  • Primary immunization schedule: 2 doses of 0.5 ml each administered intramuscularly at 4 weeks interval
  • Need of boosters still undetermined.

Catch up vaccination:

• All susceptible children up to 18 years should be administered during disease outbreak/ahead of anticipated outbreak in campaigns
• Since 2014, adults are also included for JE immunization in 179 districts in 9 states where the disease is highly prevalent.