An immunization officer posted to a district endemic for Japanese encephalitis wants to know the JE vaccine used in India's routine programme. Which of the following is CORRECT?

• A Recombinant chimeric yellow fever-JE vaccine, single dose at 12 months
• B Inactivated mouse-brain derived vaccine, two doses at 6 and 7 months
• C Live attenuated SA 14-14-2 strain, single dose at 9 completed months ✓
• D Live attenuated SA 14-14-2 strain, two doses at 9 and 16 months

Explanation

India uses the live attenuated SA 14-14-2 vaccine, given as a single dose at 9 completed months together with MR vaccine in endemic districts, after initial catch-up campaigns. The inactivated mouse-brain vaccine is an older product associated with hypersensitivity reactions and is not used in the UIP. The chimeric vaccine (IXIARO) is licensed elsewhere, and India does not use a two-dose routine JE schedule.

Reference: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 21st ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.