Mumbai: Fever panel PCR test preferred for monsoon illnesses

Doctors at private hospitals are increasingly recommending fever panel PCR tests for accurate and rapid diagnoses

Analysing monsoon ailments this season, doctors say the city suffered regular monsoon ailments along with rise in dengue and H1N1 cases. Doctors at private hospitals are increasingly recommending tropical fever panel PCR tests for patients presenting with symptoms of monsoon-related illnesses, aiming for accurate and rapid diagnoses. These tests can detect the DNA or RNA of multiple pathogens from a single sample, allowing for swift and precise identification. The diseases commonly detected include dengue, malaria, leptospirosis, chikungunya, and H1N1—all of which are reported in high numbers in Mumbai during the rainy season.

However, the tests are expensive, costing between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000. “It can provide results for everything within the first week, so patients can be put on appropriate treatment accordingly,” said Dr Hemalata Arora of Nanavati Hospital. This August, malaria cases increased from 1,080 in the same month the previous year to 1,171, dengue cases rose slightly from 999 to 1,013, chikungunya cases surged from 35 to 164, leptospirosis cases decreased from 301 to 272, gastroenteritis cases dropped from 978 to 694, hepatitis cases increased from 103 to 169, and H1N1 cases rose from 116 to 170.

“Infectious diseases have now started cutting across social classes; typhoid, jaundice, and leptospirosis even impact the middle class because of the way people move around, making early diagnosis crucial,” said Dr Arora. Dr C C Nair, an internal medicine expert at Lilavati Hospital, said that ignorance can prove fatal when it comes to monsoon-related illnesses. “People do not realize the complications that can arise if even mild fever is ignored. For instance, in cases of dengue, we have seen patients with severely reduced platelet counts and kidney damage by the time they seek treatment. We highly recommend maintaining adequate hydration when sick,” he said.

He added that tropical fever panel PCR tests can sometimes return negative results if performed too early. “The body needs to have sufficient antibodies for the test to be positive. It is highly recommended but it is best if these tests are done in consultation with medical professionals to avoid negative results. It has also happened that we have had to test people twice or thrice before the sample is positive but that is rare and depends on multiple factors,” said Dr Nair.

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