What is the latest recommended time to administer the Japanese encephalitis live attenuated vaccine?
Disease description:
My baby is now 7 months old and has previously received one dose of the Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine. Due to the pandemic, we have been staying at my baby’s maternal grandparents’ home and have been unable to return. I would like to ask: What is the latest recommended age for administering the live attenuated Japanese encephalitis vaccine?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Xie Zixing
The attenuated Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine should be administered no later than 1 year of age. Prior to age 1, infants retain maternal JE antibodies passed from the mother. However, these antibodies gradually wane after the first birthday, significantly increasing the child’s risk of contracting JE. Severe cases may lead to seizures, spastic paralysis, and other complications. JE carries an extremely high fatality rate, and survivors often suffer pronounced long-term sequelae. Therefore, timely vaccination is strongly recommended to prevent harm to the child’s health.
