India, July 21 -- Every monsoon, cities across India see a familiar rise in fevers caused by mosquito and water-borne infections - dengue, malaria, leptospirosis, scrub typhus and chikungunya among them. Most of these illnesses are well understood and treatable, and the majority of patients recover with rest, fluids and timely medical care.

But a few cases take a more serious turn, and doctors say the difference often has less to do with which infection a patient has, and more to do with how early it was recognised and treated.

Dr. Ravirajsinh Gohil, a Critical Care Consultant at Aadicura Superspeciality Hospital, sees this pattern regularly. Having led intensive care units in Vadodara for over a decade, following his training at Jaslok...