Japanese Encephalitis
Some areas in Bali, especially in rural areas, are at risk of getting Japanese encephalitis (JE) infection. JE is a disease spread through mosquito bites, primarily Culex species. The virus is maintained in an enzootic cycle between mosquitoes and amplifying vertebrate hosts, primarily pigs and wading birds. Humans are incidental or dead-end hosts, because they usually do not develop a level or duration of viremia sufficient to infect mosquitoes. Symptoms usually take 5-15 days to develop and include fever, headache, vomiting, confusion, and difficulty moving. Symptoms that develop later include swelling around the brain and coma. JE is a serious disease that may cause death.
Prevention
Travellers can protect themselves from JE by getting JE vaccine and preventing mosquito bites. Some clinics in Bali provide JE vaccine, please contact us for more information. To prevent yourself from mosquito bites use EPA-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. How to Apply Insect Repellent: Always follow the product label instructions. Reapply as directed. If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first, and insect repellent second. Do not spray repellent on the skin under clothing. Avoid Bugs Where You Are Staying: Choose hotel rooms or other accommodations that are air-conditioned or have window and door screens with no holes, so mosquitoes can’t get inside. If bugs can get into where you are sleeping, sleep under a permethrin-treated bed net that can be tucked under the mattress.
