To Study Prevalence of Brucellosis, Leptospirosis & Scrub Typhus in Cases of Acute Febrile Illness in A Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract Introduction: Acute febrile illness is the most prevalent symptom among individuals seeking medical attention in tropical countries like India. Healthcare professionals have a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, particularly in places with limited resources where the incidence of AFIs is high. Aim: To estimate the prevalence of Brucellosis, Leptospirosis & Scrub typhus in cases of acute febrile illness and to assess the sociodemographic and clinical profile of these cases. Materials and methods: The study population constitutes patients with an acute undiagnosed febrile illness presenting to the Outpatient and Inpatient Department of Medicine of Government Medical College, Amritsar during the study period from July 1,2023 to April 30, 2025. Serum sample from suspected cases was tested for brucellosis, leptospirosis and scrub typhus by IgM ELISA in the Department of Virology. Results: Overall seroprevalence of leptospirosis, scrub typhus and brucellosis cases among acute febrile illness cases was found to be 19.28% (54/280), 6.07% (17/280) and 6.42%( 18/280) respectively. Co infection was also observed among 5 patients for both leptospirosis and scrub typhus. Conclusion: The current investigation indicates a significant seroprevalence of leptospirosis, scrub typhus, and brucellosis among undifferentiated AFI cases in patients presenting in GNDH, Amritsar, despite the fact that these diseases were underreported in this area. It is therefore strongly advised that a programmatic approach for the management, prevention, and control of these diseases should be initiated.