Impact of Japanese Encephalitis Antibodies on Dengue Illness in Thai Children
Author Information
Author(s): Anderson Kathryn B., Gibbons Robert V., Thomas Stephen J., Rothman Alan L., Nisalak Ananda, Berkelman Ruth L., Libraty Daniel H., Endy Timothy P.
Primary Institution: Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
Hypothesis
Does preexisting Japanese encephalitis virus neutralizing antibodies affect the clinical severity of dengue virus infection?
Conclusion
The presence of Japanese encephalitis antibodies was associated with an increased likelihood of symptomatic dengue illness in children.
Supporting Evidence
- 942 children experienced at least one DENV infection between 1998 and 2002.
- The presence of JEV NAbs was associated with a 57% occurrence of symptomatic infection compared to 46% without.
- DENV-naive children with JEV NAbs had a longer duration of illness (5.7 days) compared to those without (2.7 days).
- The study found no significant association between JEV NAbs and the occurrence of hospitalized illness or dengue hemorrhagic fever.
Takeaway
Kids who had antibodies from the Japanese encephalitis vaccine were more likely to get sick from dengue fever. This means that the vaccine might not help as much as we thought.
Methodology
The study was a prospective cohort study conducted in Thailand, analyzing the relationship between preexisting JEV antibodies and the severity of DENV infections in children.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of JEV serostatus and reliance on self-reported vaccination history could introduce bias.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable beyond the specific cohort and region studied, and the low prevalence of JEV NAbs raises questions about the accuracy of serostatus classification.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 5 to 14 years from 12 primary schools in Kamphaeng Phet Province, Thailand.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.021
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.08–2.23
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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