Importance of maintaining a high childhood vaccination rate and surveillance program against Japanese encephalitis in Korea

· Recent epidemiologic changes of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in Korea are area (rural to urban or suburban) and age shift (children to adult). · Although the main factors contributing to recent epidemiologic changes of JE are not well identified, maintaining high vaccination rates of JE appear to be important in preventing of JE in all age groups. · Continuous surveillance for epidemiology and seroprevalence should be carried out.