ICMR Releases Priority Pathogen List to Strengthen India’s Infectious Disease Surveillance

The Indian Council of Medical Research’s Division of Communicable Diseases has identified key pathogens responsible for major infectious syndromes to improve patient care, public health planning, and R&D efforts. This standardized list aims to support syndromic surveillance and address gaps caused by India’s varied, institution-specific diagnostic practices, which often miss critical infections and contribute to antimicrobial resistance.

Developed through 44 expert consultations involving clinicians, laboratory specialists, and epidemiologists, the priority lists categorize pathogens based on prevalence, outbreak potential, national elimination goals, and diagnostic availability. They cover acute febrile illness, encephalitis, respiratory infections, and diarrhoeal diseases.

Pathogens are grouped into four tiers, ranging from commonly detected microbes to rare or high-risk agents requiring specialized testing. Included are dengue virus, Salmonella Paratyphi A and B, scrub typhus, influenza strains, chikungunya, Chandipura virus, Zika, Kyasanur Forest Disease virus, enteroviruses, hantavirus, Ebola, Marburg, yellow fever, Langya henipavirus, and Rift Valley fever virus.

17-11-2025