Zoonotic diseases have a significant impact on both human and animal health globally. The present study was planned to prioritize the zoonoses in Punjab state of India. To develop a zoonotic disease prioritization scoring system, a comprehensive approach has been taken, including literature review, key person interviews with animal health experts (n = 12) and medical professionals (n = 7), and nine focus group discussions (FGDs) with veterinary academicians, medical professionals, and field veterinary doctors. The scoring system comprises of seven major criteria, each assigned a weightage score (ws): prevalence/incidence of the disease (ws = 0.20), severity of illnesses in humans (ws = 0.18), epidemic potential (ws = 0.16), socio-economic burden (ws = 0.16), availability of effective control and prevention measures (ws = 0.15), inter-sectoral collaborations (ws = 0.1), and bioterrorism potential (ws = 0.05). The finalized scoring system, accompanied by a list of 15 selected zoonotic diseases, was implemented among a group of 23 professionals engaged in zoonoses research (n = 7), animal health (n = 10), and medical health (n = 6) to determine their prioritization. The zoonotic diseases prioritized for the Punjab (India) included, Brucellosis (0.70) > Rabies (0.69) > Anthrax (0.64) > Leptospirosis (0.62) = Toxoplasmosis (0.62) = Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) (0.62) > Bovine tuberculosis (0.61) > Q fever (0.60) > Cysticercosis (0.59) > Listeriosis (0.58) > Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) (0.57) > Japanese encephalitis (0.56) = Echinococcosis (0.56) > Dermatophytosis (0.53) > and Scrub typhus (0.48), respectively. Higher priority is suggested for endemic zoonoses (e.g., brucellosis and rabies) as compared to those with epidemic potential (e.g., CCHF, HPAI etc.) in Punjab. Results of the current study will help in the development of targeted control and prevention strategies for zoonotic diseases in Punjab and other geographical regions facing similar challenges.
Keywords: Brucella; FGDs; Prioritization; Punjab; Rabies; Zoonoses.
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