The importance of microbiology reference laboratories and adequate funding for infectious disease surveillance

• Published in: The Lancet. Digital health 2024-12
• Main Authors: Shaw, David, Torreblanca, Raquel Abad, Amin-Chowdhury, Zahin, Bautista, Adriana, Bennett, Desiree, Broughton, Karen, Casanova, Carlo, Choi, Eun Hwa, Claus, Heike, Corcoran, Mary, Cottrell, Simon, Cunney, Robert, Cuypers, Lize, Dalby, Tine, Davies, Heather, de Gouveia, Linda, Deghmane, Ala-Eddine, Desmet, Stefanie, Domenech, Mirian, Drew, Richard, Plessis, Mignon du, Duarte, Carolina, Fuursted, Kurt, Golden, Alyssa, Almeida, Samanta Cristine Grassi, Henares, Desiree, Henriques-Normark, Birgitta, Hilty, Markus, Hoffmann, Steen, Humphreys, Hilary, Jacobsson, Susanne, Johnson, Christopher, Jolley, Keith A, Kawabata, Aníbal, Kozakova, Jana, Kristinsson, Karl G, Krizova, Pavla, Kuch, Alicja, Ladhani, Shamez, Lâm, Thiên-Trí, Ayala, María Eugenia León, Lindholm, Laura, Litt, David, Maiden, Martin C J, Martin, Irene, Martiny, Delphine, Mattheus, Wesley, McCarthy, Noel D, Meehan, Mary, Meiring, Susan, Mölling, Paula, Morfeldt, Eva, Morgan, Julie, Mulhall, Robert, Muñoz-Almagro, Carmen, Murdoch, David, Musilek, Martin, Novakova, Ludmila, Oftadeh, Shahin, Perez-Arguello, Amaresh, Pérez-Vázquez, Maria Dolores, Perrin, Monique, Prevost, Benoit, Roberts, Maria, Rokney, Assaf, Ron, Merav, Sanabria, Olga Marina, Scott, Kevin J, Sempere, Julio, Siira, Lotta, de Lemos, Ana Paula Silva, Sintchenko, Vitali, Skoczyńska, Anna, Slotved, Hans-Christian, Smith, Andrew J, Taha, Muhamed-Kheir, Toropainen, Maija, Tzanakaki, Georgina, Vainio, Anni, van der Linden, Mark P G, van Sorge, Nina M, Varon, Emmanuelle, Moreno, Julio Vazquez, Vohrnova, Sandra, von Gottberg, Anne, Yuste, Jose, Brueggemann, Angela B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Life Sciences; Microbiology and Parasitology
• ISSN: 2589-7500; 2589-7500
• DOI: 10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00241-3

Microbiology reference laboratories perform a crucial role within public health systems. This role was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this Viewpoint, we emphasise the importance of microbiology reference laboratories and highlight the types of digital data and expertise they provide, which benefit national and international public health. We also highlight the value of surveillance initiatives among collaborative international partners, who work together to share, analyse, and interpret data, and then disseminate their findings in a timely manner. Microbiology reference laboratories have substantial impact at regional, national, and international levels, and sustained support for these laboratories is essential for public health in both pandemic and non-pandemic times.