Overview
This project aimed to develop policy options for One Health surveillance strategies addressing Japanese encephalitis (JE) and insect-borne diseases that affect both animals and people in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
This project sought to address a major gap in environmental surveillance of vertebrate hosts and mosquito vectors of zoonotic arboviruses of public health concern. They adopted a One Health approach to enable partnership and linkage between public health and veterinary organisations and agencies in PNG. The JE virus is the most important cause of human viral encephalitis in Southeast Asia. Even though an effective vaccine is available to prevent JE, approximately 67,000 human cases occur annually worldwide. The JE virus is mosquito-borne, and pigs and waterbirds act as amplifying hosts. JE disease mainly affects rural communities, with the highest rates of disease in children. The virus is endemic in PNG.
A part of the Research for One Health Systems Strengthening Program, this project has been co-funded with DFAT addressing zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance, and systems strengthening within the Asia Pacific.
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