Imported neurologic infections remain a surveillance concern

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A review article by neurologist Hiroyuki Murai highlights a familiar but still relevant public health issue in Japan: even with strong domestic sanitation and low endemic transmission of some neurologic infections, pathogens acquired overseas can still present after travel and affect the nervous system. The paper points to dengue fever as a leading example, noting that Japan continues to see imported cases, many linked to travel in Southeast Asia, and underscores mosquito-bite prevention as a core control measure. It also notes that Japanese encephalitis incidence in Japan has fallen sharply with widespread vaccination, reflecting the long-term impact of immunization on severe mosquito-borne neurologic disease. That framing aligns with broader surveillance data showing imported dengue remains a recurring concern in Japan, while health authorities continue to emphasize Japanese encephalitis vaccination and prevention. (niid.go.jp)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the paper is a reminder that “imported” infectious disease risk doesn’t stop at the clinic door for human medicine. Mosquito-borne pathogens such as Japanese encephalitis virus sit at the human-animal-environment interface, with transmission shaped by vectors, wildlife, livestock, travel, and climate conditions. Even when companion animals aren't the primary amplifying hosts, veterinarians play an important role in surveillance awareness, client education around travel and insect avoidance, and recognition of broader vector-borne disease trends that can affect regional risk assessments. Japanese encephalitis, in particular, remains a One Health issue because its ecology involves mosquitoes and vertebrate hosts, especially pigs and wading birds, even as human case counts in Japan have declined. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What to watch: Expect continued attention on travel-associated dengue trends, mosquito surveillance, and how clinicians across human and animal health incorporate imported vector-borne neurologic disease into seasonal risk planning. (who.int)