Clinical and Epidemiological Profile of Common Vector-borne and Zoonotic Infections in North West Region of Punjab: A Retrospective Observational Study

Introduction: Infections caused by vector-borne pathogens and zoonotic agents are a great economic burden in developing countries like India because their numbers keep increasing every year. National programs like the National Vector Borne Disease Control Program and National One Health Program for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses have been actively tracking their load through their network of Diagnostic Laboratories.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical and epidemiological profile and seropositivity of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases in the North West region of Punjab, India.

Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Virology, Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar, Punjab, India from January 2024 to December 2024. It was done on samples of suspected patients of Acute Febrile illness attending the OPD/IPD of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. A total of 1,308 serum samples were received in the Virology Research and Diagnostic Laboratory and tested for various infections, including Dengue, Chikungunya, Brucella, Leptospira, Scrub typhus, and Toxoplasma, using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method. Demographic parameters like age, sex and seasonality were studied from patient records for these samples. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square and Fisher's exact test and a p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.

Results: A total of 1,308 samples were tested, out of which 108 samples (8.25%) were positive for at least one or more of the infections. Leptospira infection was the most common, with 50 out of 248 cases (20.16%), followed by scrub typhus with 18 out of 235 cases (7.65%), chikungunya with 11 out of 171 cases (6.43%), brucellosis with 10 out of 170 cases (5.88%), dengue with 17 out of 410 cases (4.14%), and toxoplasmosis with 2 out of 74 cases (2.7%).

Conclusion: The present study highlights that infections such as Leptospira, Brucella, and scrub typhus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute febrile illness, in addition to dengue and chikungunya. Strengthening diagnostic facilities at both peripheral and tertiary levels is essential for timely treatment, along with coordinated efforts from the community and health sector for effective prevention and control.