Information for Authors

CONSORT Statement—Checklist of information to include when reporting a randomised trial
STROBE Statement—Checklist of items that should be included in reports of observational studies

Manuscript and all editorial correspondence should be submitted on the Infect Dis J Pak portal.

Note:

Any article submitted to Infectious Diseases Journal of Pakistan must be original and not previously submitted to or published by any other journal, either in part or in full. Authors are required to confirm that their submission is original by signing a submission agreement. Authors retain the copyright to their work but grant Infect Dis J Pak the exclusive right to publish, reproduce, and distribute the work under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial License (CC BY-NC). Authors will be required to assist the editors in the final proofreading of their articles before publication.

All such articles should aim for development of medical concepts rather than mere recording of facts. 

DO NOT STATE THE AUTHORS’ NAMES, AFFILIATIONS OR CONTACT DETAILS ANYWHERE ON THE MAIN MANUSCRIPT. 

Clinical Trials: All Clinical Trials submitted for publication must be registered in a registry, provide registration proof and all RCTs must be based on CONSORT statement.

A study more than 5 years old at the time of submission will not be accepted for submission.

  • Upon submission, authors must disclose if they utilized AI-assisted technologies, such as Large Language Models (LLMs), chatbots, or image generators, in creating their work. If such tools were used, authors should provide a detailed explanation of their usage in both the cover letter and the relevant section of the submitted manuscript, where applicable.
  • If AI was utilized for grammatical corrections, this should be acknowledged in the acknowledgment section. For instances where AI was employed in data interpretation, analysis, or figure generation, authors must detail this usage in the methods section.
  • If a published article is suspected of plagiarism, it will be temporarily withdrawn from publication, and the author will be required to provide an explanation. The case will be prominently featured in the user section of the journal for one year.
  • Plagiarism refers to the act of using another person's work, ideas, or intellectual property without giving proper credit, and claiming it as one's own. This encompasses direct copying, rephrasing, or closely replicating the structure or ideas of another source without proper acknowledgment. Manuscripts with a similarity index exceeding 19% will not be processed further unless corrections are made.
  • If plagiarism is identified discovered after publication, the articles involved may be withdrawn.
  • Withdrawal requests are only permissible during the initial review stage. If the manuscript has already entered the peer review process, the editorial team will inform the Author's Department/Institute. Additionally, if simultaneous or duplicate submission is detected, HEC/PM&DC will be notified.
  • According to the revised HEC Guidelines effective from October 1, 2024, an author is permitted to have only one article per issue, whether as the principal author (first or corresponding) or as a co-author.
  • errors discovered post-publication by either the authors or readers are addressed and corrected in a PDF version of the online article.

EDITORIAL
Each editorial is authored by a member of the editorial board or submitted as an invited manuscript by guest authors. It serves as a scientific review focusing on one or two current topics in the field of medical sciences. If you are interested in contributing, please send an email at infectdisjpak@gmail.com

SUBMISSION OF ARTICLE

Original Paper: This includes randomized controlled trials, intervention studies, research on screening/diagnostic tests, outcome studies, and cost-effectiveness analyses. The manuscript must be accompanied by a certificate signed by the author and all co-authors, confirming that they have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript and that it has not been submitted to any other journal. The manuscript should include the names of supervisors or consultants associated with the primary institution where the study was conducted. All manuscripts must be typed in double spacing on A-4 paper (8.25” x 11.70” or 21.0 cm x 29.70 cm) with one-inch (2.5 cm) margins on both sides. For quantitative studies, the article should be between 2000 and 2500 words (excluding references and abstract), include at least 18-25 references, and contain up to 5 figures or tables. For qualitative studies, the article should be between 3000 and 4000 words (excluding references and abstract), include at least 20-30 references, and contain up to 5 figures or tables.

Each manuscript should include:\

1. Title page

 Please give a complete title as well as a short title of the study

  • Name of author(s)
  • Department(s)
  • Institution(s) at which work was performed
  • Author Affiliation (Double affiliation should be mentioned in case of multi-institutions authors)
  • Subject Specialty (Specialties of all the authors should be relevant to the study)
  • Official phone No., cell No., e-mail address (to whom correspondence is to be addressed) in case of job transfer, please provide new address
  • Short running title for header

2. Structured Abstract 

  • Objective
  • Material and Methods (e.g. Study Design, Place and duration of study, Methodology)
  • Results
  • Conclusion
  • Keywords 3–10 (Medical Subject Headings – MeSH) in alphabetical order
  • Abstract should be upto 250 words

3. Manuscript Text

  • Introduction: This section should cover the problem statement, research gaps, and relevant statistics from international, regional, and Pakistani contexts. The final paragraph must provide a clear justification for undertaking the study. A maximum of 10 references should be cited in numerical sequence.
  • Material and Methods:  This section should outline the study design, settings, and duration, along with clearly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. It must also address ethical considerations, provide a comprehensive description of the data collection process, specify the sample size and sampling technique, detail the study protocol, and explain the data analysis methods. No subheadings are permitted in this section, except for the inclusion and exclusion criteria, which should be clearly delineated.

This section must detail specific study techniques, observations, or experiments. If any equipment is utilized, include the manufacturer's name and address in parentheses. For established methods, provide a reference; for new methods, offer sufficient details to enable other researchers to replicate the process. When a drug is involved, specify its generic name, dosage, and method of administration.

Reference number of the Institution Review Committee (IRC)/ Ethical Review Board (ERB) certificate to be mentioned in the methodology section along with date of approval.

Patient Consent

Authors must state that the consent of the patient/ guardian was taken prior to writing of the manuscripts if applicable.

    • DISSERTATION / THESIS BASED ARTICLE: A copy of Approval letters of synopsis and dissertation obtained from REU [Research Evaluation Unit] of CPSP, any other institute must be submitted with the research paper.
  • Results: This section should summarize the overall study results, provide a concise overview of demographic variables, highlight the least and most frequent findings, and include comparisons, associations, and statistical significance. Avoid duplicating table content in the text; instead, refer to the relevant table number. Additional materials, technical details, or supplementary information can be included in an appendix, which should be accessible. While these details may be excluded from the printed version, they can be made available in the journal's electronic version.
  • Discussion: This section should critically compare the study's findings with existing literature. The interpretation of the data should avoid reiterating what has already been presented in the results section. Additionally, the study's limitations must be clearly outlined, and potential future research directions should be suggested.

This section should highlight the current findings and compare or contrast them with related research conducted by other authors in the field. Avoid reiterating detailed data in the discussion. Focus on the novel and significant aspects of the study, as well as the conclusions derived from them.

  • Conclusion: The findings should directly connect to the study's results, and this section must not include any suggestions or recommendations.
  • Conflict of Interest & financial disclosure: When submitting a manuscript, authors are required to disclose all financial support (such as grants) and any personal relationships that could potentially influence their work. They must clearly indicate whether there are any potential conflicts of interest or not, and this declaration should be included on the title page of the manuscript. If needed, further details can be provided in a cover letter that accompanies the submission. For studies funded by an organization with a financial or proprietary stake in the results, authors must sign a statement affirming that they had complete access to all study data and that they take full responsibility for the data's integrity and the accuracy of the analysis. This statement must be submitted together with the manuscript.
  • Acknowledgments (if any): Any individuals who contributed but do not qualify as authors according to the ICJME guidelines should be acknowledged in the acknowledgments section. This includes those who offered technical assistance, as well as department heads who provided general support. Additionally, recognition should be given to those who contributed financial or material resources.
  • Disclosure: The study must not be presented at any conference, seminar, or symposium prior to its submission to Infect Dis J Pak. Any research derived from a dissertation or thesis should be explicitly disclosed under the disclosure section.
  • Key Words: Keywords should not exceed than ten. Use terms from the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) listed in Index Medicus. If suitable MeSH terms are unavailable for newly introduced concepts, current terms may be used.
  • Authors Contributions:Authorship credit should be based on:
    1) Substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data.

           2)  Draft the article or critically review for important intellectual content.

           3)  Final approval of the version to be published.

           4)  Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. Authors should meet conditions 1, 2, 3 and 4.

(For details of authorship criteria kindly consult ICMJE guidelines).
Securing funding, gathering data, or overseeing the research group alone does not warrant authorship. Anyone designated as an author must meet the criteria for authorship, and all qualified individuals should be included. Each author must have contributed significantly to the work to take public responsibility for relevant sections of the content. If a manuscript has multiple authors, the specific contributions of each listed author should be clearly stated.

Individuals who offer technical support, writing assistance, or general support as department chairs should also be acknowledged. Additionally, any conflicts of interest should be disclosed in the manuscript.

If a large, multi-center group has carried out the research, the group should designate individuals who take direct responsibility for the manuscript. These individuals must fully meet the authorship criteria outlined above, and editors will require them to complete journal-specific authorship criteria and conflict of interest disclosure forms. When submitting as a group, the corresponding author should clearly specify the preferred citation format and identify all individual authors along with the group name. Other group members should be acknowledged separately. Once the submission is completed with a duly signed authorship proforma, no additions, deletions, or changes in the sequence of authors' names will be allowed.

All authors must be affiliated with the same institute and department. If not, official proof of multi-affiliation or dual affiliation must be provided through an official letter from both institutes.

  • References: For quantitative studies, a maximum of 18–25 references are permitted, while qualitative studies may include 20–30 references. At least 50% of the references should be from the last five years, and all citations must be listed consecutively as superscripts. The final bibliography should follow the order in which the references appear in the text and must adhere to the Vancouver Style. References cited in tables or figures should be numbered sequentially along with those in the text. Additionally, DOI links for references must be included. Infectious Diseases Journal of Pakistan follows the Index Medicus style for references and uses abbreviated journal names as per the Index Medicus list of indexed journals.
  • Journal Citation: List all authors when six or less; when seven or more, list only first six and add et al.
  • Example of journal article citation: Kalsoom D, Imran S, Zar MB, Baqir A. title of the study. Infect Dis J Pak. 2024; 11(2): 1369753. https://doi.org/10.3247/idjp.2025.1412553
  • Chapter in a book: Churchil L, Martn N. Properties of invading microorganisms. In: Maculam WA, Sodeman WA, eds. Pathologic physiology: Mechanisms of disease. WB Saunders, New York 1995; 500-542.

4. Tables and Figures: A maximum of five figures or tables is permitted, with each table including comprehensive legends and footnotes. All abbreviations used in tables must be clearly explained. Proper nomenclature should be followed, using generic names for drugs, enzymes, and organisms, as well as S.I. units for measurement. Figures and tables must be embedded within the document rather than submitted separately.

  • Tables: All tables should be numbered with Roman numerals (I, III, V). Headings should be placed above tables, left justified.
  • Figures: All figures should be numbered with Roman numerals (I, III, V). Headings should be placed below figures, left justified.
  • Photographs, X-Rays, CT Scans, MRI, Lab Reports and Photomicrographs should be sent in the Digital format, with a minimum resolution of 3.2 megapixels in JPEG/TIFF compression. Patient’s identification should not be visible on Photographs, X-Rays, CT Scans, MRI, Lab Reports and Photomicrographs.
  • Proof Reading: The final version of the manuscript is sent to the corresponding author for proofreading before publication to prevent any errors. Any corrections should be clearly communicated to the Editor via email.

Short communication: A short communication or brief research report presents new findings concisely. It includes the following sections: Title, Abstract (structured, up to 150 words), Keywords (maximum of 5), Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, Ethical Considerations, Acknowledgments, and References. The total word count, from the Introduction to References, should not exceed 1,500 words. Additionally, short communications should contain no more than three tables or figures.

Review Article: Review articles can be categorized into various types, including Critical Review, Literature Review/Narrative Review, Mapping Review, Meta-Analysis, Mixed Study Review, Overview, Systematic Review, Scoping Review, Systemized Review, and Umbrella Review. These articles should be authored by experts in the subject matter. The summary must specify the time period covered, the databases searched, and the number of articles selected for review, in accordance with ICMJE guidelines. The word count for review articles should range between 3,000 and 4,000 words (excluding references and abstract) and include a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 50 references, along with 3–5 figures or tables.

Case Report: Brief reports on cases, clinical experiences, drug trials, or adverse effects may be submitted. The word count should not exceed 1,000 words, with a maximum of 10 bibliographic references and either one concise table or figure. The report must present genuinely novel information.

All case reports must be accompanied by an approval letter on institutional letterhead from the head of the department. The letter should confirm that participants have provided informed consent for inclusion in the study or publication of the case report. Permission must be obtained before including any images, with proof of consent provided. Additionally, faces should be partially obscured in any published images.

Case Series: A case series is a collection of reports describing multiple patients who received the same treatment. These reports typically provide in-depth details about each patient, including demographic data (such as age, gender, and ethnic background) and clinical information on diagnosis, treatment, treatment response, and follow-up. The total word count should be within 1000 words, with a maximum of 10 bibliographic references and the inclusion of either a single concise table or figure.

All case series must have approval on the institution's official letterhead from the department head. The approval should include a statement confirming that participants provided informed consent for inclusion in the study or for the publication of the case series. Before incorporating any images, prior permission must be obtained, and proof of consent should be provided. Faces should be partially obscured in any included images.

Clinical Audit: Clinical audit is a structured approach to assessing the quality of clinical care to determine whether it aligns with the highest possible standards, often referred to as "best practice." This process follows a systematic cycle, involving the evaluation of care against defined criteria, implementing necessary improvements, and continuously monitoring progress to maintain and enhance quality. Over time, this iterative process fosters the achievement of even higher standards. The final document should not exceed 1,000 words, include 10 bibliographic references, and feature either a concise table or figure.

Systematic Review Article/ Meta-analysis:

The systematic review paper must include a structured abstract of no more than 250 words, organized under the following headings: Objective, Data Sources, Study Selection, Data Extraction, Data Synthesis, and Conclusions. Additionally, it should contain 3 to 10 key words.

Objective: Provide a clear and precise statement of the primary objective of the review. Specify whether the focus is on cause and diagnosis, prognosis, therapy and intervention, or prevention. Additionally, indicate whether the review will be highly selective, including only randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or if it will have broader inclusion criteria.

Data Sources: Present data sources used, including any time restriction.

Study Selection: Describe criteria to select studies for detailed review. Specify methods used, as blinded review, consensus, multiple reviewers.

Data Extraction: Describe how extraction was made, including assessment of quality and validity.

Data Synthesis: Present the main results of the review and state major identified sources of variation between studies.

Conclusion: Provide a clear summary of the conclusions reached, along with their generalizability and limitations.

The paper's introduction may resemble that of an original report but should forgo an extensive literature survey. Instead, it should briefly summarize previous structural reviews and clearly state the purpose and objective of the current review.

The Methodology section should include subheadings aligned with the Abstract (e.g., Data Sources, Study Selection, Data Extraction) and clearly define inclusion and exclusion criteria. It should specify databases, formal registers, conference proceedings, reference lists, and trial authors used as sources. A full search strategy should be provided to ensure reproducibility. If too lengthy for the main article, it may be included as an Appendix.

The selection process typically involves multiple steps, each conducted by at least two independent researchers. Initial screening should be based on titles and abstracts to identify articles for full-text review. Full articles must then be re-evaluated against selection criteria, and those meeting the requirements should undergo a quality assessment. A flowchart summarizing the number of articles selected and reasons for exclusion at each stage should be included.

Methodological quality should be assessed using an appropriate tool, considering outcome measures and blinding of outcome assessors. The choice of tool depends on the scope and nature of the expected research evidence.

The Results section corresponds to the Data Synthesis in the Abstract and may include tables with extensive lists of selected articles. When available, extracted trial data should report the randomization method, study population, intervention details and delivery, reasons for follow-up losses, treatment monitoring information, post-intervention assessments, and follow-up details. Major pooled outcomes should be reported, including odds ratios or effect sizes, and meta-analysis should be used when applicable. Whenever possible, numerical values should be presented with confidence intervals. Identify key sources of variation among studies, such as differences in treatment protocols, co-interventions, confounders, outcome measures, follow-up duration, and dropout rates. Tables and figures should be self-explanatory and include appropriate titles or captions. The methods for evidence synthesis should be pre-determined. If data cannot be pooled, a synthesis of the best available evidence should be provided.

The Discussion section should follow a structure similar to that of an original research report. The findings should be analyzed in terms of their consistency, variability, and generalizability. It is important to highlight the review’s contributions to the literature and identify areas where information is lacking. Additionally, discussing the limitations of the review would be beneficial. Lastly, recommendations for further studies and future research directions should be provided.

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Length of paper: The text should generally not exceed 5000 words in total. The reference list must be thorough, with a maximum limit of 100 references.

Narrative Review Article: The narrative review must include a structured abstract of no more than 250 words, organized under the following headings: Objectives, Methods, Review, and Conclusion. It should summarize the current state of knowledge on the topic being reviewed and be followed by 3 to 10 key words.

Objective: This should offer context for a review that examines recent literature from the past few years, highlighting key advancements in our understanding of the issue at hand.

Methods Section: A well-defined research strategy should be provided. Clearly outline the criteria for including articles in the review, specifying the databases searched and the time period covered.

The Review and Discussion section can be organized similarly to an original report. At the conclusion of the discussion, the study's limitations and key message should be highlighted.

Conclusions: Conclusions of the article also highlighting the problems, or areas for future research to be included.

Word count: Between 2000 and 3500 words.

Tables: up to 5.

Illustrations: up to 3.

References: up to 50.

Mix Methods Study: The mixed methods study should include all the headings and subheadings from the original article. The word count should range between 2000 and 3000 words, with 18 to 30 references formatted in Vancouver style.

Qualitative study format

  1. Abstract (Maximum 250 words. It is structured as Objective, Material and Methods, Results, Conclusion and (Medical Subject Headings – MeSH) in alphabetical order)
  2. Introduction
  3. Material and Methods (Qualitative Approach, Participant selection strategy and Data collection strategy)
  4. Results (Themes generation)
  5. Discussion
  6. Conclusion
  7. References

Letter to Editor: Constructive opinions on recently published articles and topics will be considered for publication if they hold academic or clinical relevance. These letters will be sent to the author of the referenced article for a potential response. The editor reserves the right to shorten letters, remove inappropriate remarks, make necessary modifications, or take any other appropriate action to align with the journal’s style.

Letters could be of two types:

  1. Commenting either on recently published articles in the journal
  2. The scientific letter include: reporting cases, outbreaks, or original research.

Institutional Review Board / Biomedical Ethical Committee/ Ethical Review Committee:

  • Authors must submit a letter from the Institutional Review Board, Biomedical Ethical Committee, or Ethical Review Committee along with Original Articles, Clinical Audits, Case Reports, Short Reports, and Short Communications.
  • None of the authors should be among the final signatories of ERC/IERB of the institution.
  • If an institution lacks an ethical review committee, approval should be obtained from another institution that follows ethical standards and oversees research involving humans through Ethical Review Committees willing to collaborate in upholding ethical principles

PROCESSING /PUBLICATION FEE

For Local Authors (Pakistan)

For Local Authors (Pakistan)

  1. Processing Fee:
    • Clearly mention the author name, title, and article number on the fee slip.
    • After deposit/ transaction, email a scanned copy of the fee slip to infectdisjpak@gmail.com.
    • Amount: Rs. 3,000/- (non-refundable)
    • Payment Details:
      Payment must be made via Online Transfer or Bank Deposit to the Infectious Diseases Society of Pakistan account.
  2. Publication Fee (Payable Upon Acceptance):
    • For All Categories: Rs. 5,000/-
    • Case Reports, Editorials, and Short Communications: 50% of the above charges.

For International Authors

To encourage global collaboration, all processing and publication charges for international authors are waived off.

 Refund Policy

The publication fee is non-refundable if the author withdraws the article after the acceptance letter is issued.

 OPEN ACCESS POLICY

The Infectious Diseases Journal of Pakistan offers immediate open access to its content, based on the principle that freely available research fosters a wider global exchange of knowledge. Infect Dis J Pak adheres to the Budapest Open Access Initiative's definition of Open Access, which states that "Readers may read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles and use them for any other lawful purpose."

 LICENSE TERMS

The Infectious Diseases Journal of Pakistan follows "CC BY NC "creative commons" licensing.
http://creativecommons.org/