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Updated: Jun 10, 2025
Arbovirus Infections As Screening Tools for the Identification of Viral Immunomodulators and Host Antiviral Factors
Published on: September 13, 2018
Prevalence of Emerging Arboviral Infections: A Tertiary Care Hospital-Based Study from Kashmir, Northern India
Bashir Ahmad Fomda1, Masqooba Murtaza1, Dalip K Kakru1
1Department of Microbiology, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, India.
Abstract:
Arboviruses are becoming a global public health menace. The common diseases worldwide caused by arboviruses are dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. This study aims to determine the prevalence of these three arboviral infections in patients with acute febrile illness at a tertiary care hospital in Kashmir, North India. A total of 812 blood samples were collected and tested for anti-dengue, anti-chikungunya immunoglobulin M (IgM), and dengue nonstructural protein 1 antigen by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Molecular testing of these samples was also done to detect dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses by using the CDC Trioplex real-time PCR assay. The prevalence of diseases found among the studied patients was dengue 105/812 (12.93%) followed by chikungunya 17/812 (2.09%), and 3 cases (0.37%) were positive for both dengue and chikungunya; however, no case of Zika was detected. Interestingly, we found that only individuals that had a history of travel to different destinations within the country were positive for these viruses. Most affected cases were males 105/812 (12.93%) compared with females 20/812 (2.46%). Dengue serotyping results indicate that Dengue virus-1 was the most commonly found serotype. The most common symptoms in patients positive for dengue and chikungunya were fever, intense fatigue, myalgia, arthralgia, retro-orbital pain, anorexia, conjunctivitis, and skin rash. This study showed that dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses are not prevalent in the indigenous population of Kashmir. However, screening for these agents is required in people who have recently traveled outside Kashmir and have symptoms of acute febrile illness.
Insights
Arboviruses like dengue and chikungunya are prevalent in travelers to Kashmir, but not in the local population. No Zika virus cases were detected in this study.
Area of Science:
- Medical Entomology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Arboviruses, including dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, pose a significant global health threat.
- Understanding the prevalence of these infections is crucial for effective public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus infections in patients with acute febrile illness in Kashmir, North India.
- To identify risk factors and clinical manifestations associated with these arboviral infections.
Main Methods:
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect antibodies (IgM) and antigens (dengue NS1).
- Real-time PCR (CDC Trioplex assay) was employed for molecular detection of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses.
- 812 blood samples from patients with acute febrile illness were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Dengue virus infection was detected in 12.93% of patients, chikungunya in 2.09%, and 0.37% had co-infection.
- No cases of Zika virus infection were identified.
- Positive cases were primarily associated with recent domestic travel; males were more affected than females.
- Dengue virus-1 was the predominant serotype.
Conclusions:
- Dengue and chikungunya infections are present in travelers to Kashmir, but not endemic in the local population.
- Screening for arboviruses is recommended for individuals with acute febrile illness and a travel history outside Kashmir.
- The study highlights the importance of travel history in diagnosing arboviral infections in non-endemic regions.
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