Japanese encephalitis

Has anyone had the Japanese encephalitis vaccine in Kaohsiung or Taiwan for that matter? Was it easy to get and how expensive was it?

Thanks

Robin-Hood,

I have asked about this vaccination. The info I have is it cannot be given to people over the age of 15, or maybe that is who reached puberty. It is very dangerous for adults. That is why adults here are not vaccinated (those over 15 when the vaccination became available). For children, it is covered under NHI and is given between March and June each year. It is a very low-risk vaccination for children.

I have a relative here who got hit by this disease (bitten by a mosquito in his garden at the bottom of Yangminshan) and after four years he can only sit up and move his hands a little, and grunt. So although the risk of contracting the disease is low, the results can be devastating to the individual and family. Before this I was pretty blase about mosquito bites, now I am much more careful.

Well, in the UK it can be given to adults on the NHS… I was thinking of getting it in the UK, is it not wroth it?

Well, in the UK it can be given to adults on the NHS… I was thinking of getting it in the UK, is it not wroth it?

I heard it also last’s for 3 years!

[quote=“asiababy”]It is very dangerous for adults.[/quote]That’s not correct, at least regarding the type of vaccination I had twice at a UK travel clinic. Perhaps the vaccination they give here is different.

had a half brother who died very quickly from this. he was only six years old

Is you or your kid who wants to get the Japanese encephalitis vaccine ?
You can ask the distric public health center(衛生所).
(I don’t know where you are in Kaohsiung.)This is one of them:
sam1-ksc.doh.gov.tw/pub/LIT_14.asp
They will tell you where to get the vaccine.
The price will be higher in the non-appointed clinics or hospital.

My son had it as part of his normal immunization package as a baby. We had it administered at the public health office in our city in Taipei.

This is from the CDC’s website (http://www2.ncid.cdc.gov/travel/yb/utils/ybGet.asp?section=dis&obj=jenceph.htm) :Because JE virus primarily cycles among animals and mosquitoes and because national JE vaccination programs are present in many affected countries (e.g., Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Korea), the absence of human infections alone should not be used to gauge a traveler’s risk for infection.

Yes, adults can get this vaccine–I did in the US. If you’re thinking of getting it in the UK, get it. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

[quote=“asiababy”]Robin-Hood,

I have asked about this vaccination. The info I have is it cannot be given to people over the age of 15, or maybe that is who reached puberty. It is very dangerous for adults. That is why adults here are not vaccinated (those over 15 when the vaccination became available). For children, it is covered under NHI and is given between March and June each year. It is a very low-risk vaccination for children.

I have a relative here who got hit by this disease (bitten by a mosquito in his garden at the bottom of Yangmingshan) and after four years he can only sit up and move his hands a little, and grunt. So although the risk of contracting the disease is low, the results can be devastating to the individual and family. Before this I was pretty blase about mosquito bites, now I am much more careful.[/quote]

That’s because most of Taiwanese vaccinated when we were a kid.
And Japanese encephalitis affect childern more serious than adults.

has any adult has the vacine in Taiwan or is it not possible?

It is possible.
commonhealth.com.tw/content/043/043102_3.asp
Go to the hospital and tell them you want to have the vaccine.

預防方法
預防接種:凡是年滿15個月幼童都應接種疫苗。
日本腦炎疫苗的效力約可維持十年,成人若想再施打,可至醫院自費接種
日本腦炎的病媒蚊喜歡在屋外棲息、黃昏和黎明出沒,應該避免被蚊蟲叮咬,減少風險。

So adults can go to the general hospital(署立醫院)to get the vaccine.
The cost is from 185-285 NT per shot.