The Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE) is conducting a study on the immunogenicity and safety of a mixed regimen of Japanese Encephalitis virus vaccines compared to two doses of a single vaccine.

Presently, in India, two types of JE vaccines—JENVAC or JEEV—are administered. It is possible that a child has received a dose of one type of vaccine in one state and then migrated to another city and received a second dose of a different type. The study will determine if a child in such a scenario is immunogenic against the virus.

Immunogenicity and safety of a mixed regimen of JE virus vaccines (JENVAC or JEEV) compared to two doses of a single vaccine regimen.

The Director of the ICMR-NIE, Chennai, Dr Manoj Murhekar, explained, “There are two vaccines available to prevent JE.

One is JENVAC by Bharat Biotech or JEEV. For example, in Tamil Nadu, one vaccine is given. It is possible that a child migrated from one place to another, and in the other state, they might have received the second dose of the other type. So we want to see if a child who has been administered two doses of vaccines in an interchangeable regime is immunogenic,” he said.

The study will be completed in four months.

JE, a viral zoonotic disease, is the leading viral cause of encephalitis in Southeast Asian countries. The disease primarily affects children under the age of fifteen years.

The JE virus affects the central nervous system, causing severe complications, seizures, and even death.

As reported by the National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC), India recorded 103 cases of JE and two deaths this year. Last year, 1,432 cases and 105 deaths were recorded. States like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Manipur, and Uttar Pradesh bear the burden of the maximum cases of JE.