New microbiology tools for public health and their implications

The realm of diagnostic assays for detection of acute infections is rapidly changing from antibody detection to pathogen detection, from clinical laboratory based to point-of-care based, from single analyte detection to multiple analyte detection, and is more focused on detection using less invasive...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual review of public health 2005-01, Vol.26 (1), p.281-302
Main Authors: Robertson, Betty H, Nicholson, Janet K A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Causality
Communicable Disease Control - methods
Communicable Diseases - diagnosis
Communicable Diseases - epidemiology
Communicable Diseases - microbiology
Flow Cytometry - methods
Forecasting
Humans
Immunoenzyme Techniques - methods
Microarray Analysis - methods
Microbiological Techniques - methods
Microbiological Techniques - standards
Microbiological Techniques - trends
Molecular Diagnostic Techniques - methods
Molecular Epidemiology - methods
Point-of-Care Systems
Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
Population Surveillance - methods
Public Health - methods
Public Health - standards
Public Health - trends
Sensitivity and Specificity
Specimen Handling - methods
Technology Assessment, Biomedical
United States
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Summary:The realm of diagnostic assays for detection of acute infections is rapidly changing from antibody detection to pathogen detection, from clinical laboratory based to point-of-care based, from single analyte detection to multiple analyte detection, and is more focused on detection using less invasive approaches for collecting biological samples. New assays are typically more sensitive than are conventional assays and have the capability of providing more information that characterizes the pathogen or the host response to the pathogen. From a public health perspective, the advent of molecular epidemiology, which allows tracking of pathogens based on unique genetic sequences or antigenic properties, has revolutionized how epidemiologists investigate and evaluate epidemics and assess endemic diseases. In addition, the use of point-of-care (POC) devices can impact the detection and surveillance of infections and will enhance our ability to accurately identify the causes of illnesses.
ISSN:0163-7525
1545-2093
DOI:10.1146/annurev.publhealth.26.021304.144522