Japanese Encephalitis Virus Detected in Mosquitoes Collected in Gwangju, Jeollanam-do

Virus Gene Identified in Culex pipiens Mosquitoes Collected in August
Institute to Strengthen Mosquito Density and Pathogen Surveillance

The Japanese encephalitis virus gene has been detected for the first time in the region from mosquitoes collected in downtown Gwangju, Jeollanam-do. As mosquito activity continues even after temperatures drop in the mornings and evenings, extra caution is advised, especially for children and the elderly.

The Jeollanam-do Gwangju Unified Metropolitan City Institute of Health and Environment announced on the 27th that it had confirmed the presence of the Japanese encephalitis virus gene in Culex pipiens mosquitoes collected downtown in August, as part of the “Climate Change Vector Surveillance Project” conducted jointly with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

Japanese encephalitis virus gene was reported for the first time in the region from mosquitoes collected in downtown Gwangju, Jeonnam. Provided by Gwangju Metropolitan City

The institute checks the occurrence and density of mosquitoes each year and tests collected mosquitoes for six mosquito-borne pathogens: Japanese encephalitis, dengue fever, yellow fever, West Nile fever, Zika virus, and chikungunya fever.

In particular, from this year, the scope of Japanese encephalitis pathogen surveillance was expanded from the previous focus on Culex tritaeniorhynchus to also include Culex pipiens mosquitoes. This detection was also made in the course of the expanded monitoring.

Earlier, on June 17, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency issued a nationwide Japanese encephalitis alert after the virus was detected in Culex pipiens mosquitoes collected in Daegu.

The Institute of Health and Environment plans to use this detection as an opportunity to strengthen surveillance of mosquito density and pathogens. At the same time, it will preemptively respond to the risk of Japanese encephalitis outbreak by working in cooperation with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and other relevant organizations.

Park Sook, Director of the Health Research Division at the Jeollanam-do Gwangju Unified Metropolitan City Institute of Health and Environment, stated, “Since mosquito activity continues into the cooler mornings and evenings, families should take extra care to prevent children and the elderly from being bitten by mosquitoes.” She added, “We will make every effort to protect the health of local residents by preemptively responding to the risk of infectious diseases arising from climate change.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.