Prevalence of dengue viral infection (DI) in and around of Angul district of Odisha, India: A comprehensive eco-epidemiological study

Currently, the disease ‘dengue viral infection (DI)’ was endemic in Angul district, Odisha state, as the region fall in the deciduous, dry and wet climatic zone. This study was designed to analyze a relationship of DI with climatic factors (rainfall, temperature and relative humidity) during the year, 2013. During the study, monthly climatologically data was obtained and analyzed; and 1980 blood specimens of dengue suspected cases were collected and diagnosed. Out of 1980 suspected cases, 745 cases (37.6%) were confirmed as DI. Larger proportions of DI were observed among adults. The difference between DI positive cases during different months was significant (p < 0.05). DI coincided mainly with the monsoon period of heavy rainfall. The difference between DI positive cases as compared to DI negative in monsoon period was significantly higher (p < 0.001). This prospective study highlighted rain, temperature and relative humidity as the major and important climatic factors, which could alone or collectively be responsible for the epidemic or outbreak. More studies in this regard could further reveal the correlation between the climatic changes and epidemics or outbreaks, which would help in making the strategies to forecast any epidemic or outbreak in the future well in advance.