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

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

doi:10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00241-3

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

David Shaw
, Raquel Abad Torreblanca
, Zahin Amin-Chowdhury
, Adriana Bautista
, Desiree Bennett
, Karen Broughton
, Carlo Casanova
, Eun Hwa Choi
, Heike Claus
, Mary Corcoran
, Simon Cottrell
, Robert Cunney
, Lize Cuypers
, Tine Dalby
, Heather Davies
, Linda de Gouveia
, Ala-Eddine Deghmane
, Stefanie Desmet
, Mirian Domenech
, Richard Drew

Mignon du Plessis, Carolina Duarte, Kurt Fuursted, Alyssa Golden, Samanta Cristine Grassi Almeida, Desiree Henares, Birgitta Henriques-Normark, Markus Hilty, Steen Hoffmann, Hilary Humphreys, Susanne Jacobsson, Christopher Johnson, Keith A. Jolley, Aníbal Kawabata, Jana Kozakova, Karl G. Kristinsson, Pavla Krizova, Alicja Kuch, Shamez Ladhani, Thiên-Trí Lâm, María Eugenia León Ayala, Laura Lindholm, David Litt, Martin C. J. Maiden, Irene Martin, Delphine Martiny, Wesley Mattheus, Noel D. McCarthy, Mary Meehan, Susan Meiring, Paula Mölling, Eva Morfeldt, Julie Morgan, Robert Mulhall, Carmen Muñoz-Almagro, David Murdoch, Martin Musilek, Ludmila Novakova, Shahin Oftadeh, Amaresh Perez-Arguello, Maria Dolores Pérez-Vázquez, Monique Perrin, Benoit Prevost, Maria Roberts, Assaf Rokney, Merav Ron, Olga Marina Sanabria, Kevin J. Scott, Julio Sempere, Lotta Siira, Ana Paula Silva de Lemos, Vitali Sintchenko, Anna Skoczyńska, Hans-Christian Slotved, Andrew J. Smith, Muhamed-Kheir Taha, Maija Toropainen, Georgina Tzanakaki, Anni Vainio, Mark P. G. van der Linden, Nina M. van Sorge, Emmanuelle Varon, Julio Vazquez Moreno, Sandra Vohrnova, Anne von Gottberg, Jose Yuste, Angela B. Brueggemann^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

University of Oxford
Centro Nacional de Microbiologia
UK Health Security Agency
Instituto Nacional de Salud
Children’s Health Ireland
University of Bern
Seoul National University
University of Würzburg
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Public Health Wales
KU Leuven
Statens Serum Institut
ESR
National Health Laboratory Services
Institut Pasteur Paris
Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Research and Innovation Unit
Public Health Agency of Canada
Instituto Adolfo Lutz
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública
SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital
Karolinska Institutet
Örebro University
Laboratorio Central de Salud Pública
Czech National Institute of Public Health
Landspitali University Hospital
National Medicines Institute, Warsaw
National Institute for Health and Welfare
Universite de Mons Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie
Laboratoires des Hôpitaux Universitaires de Bruxelles–Universitaire Laboratorium Brussel
National Reference Centre for Neisseria meningitidis
Trinity College Dublin
Public Health Agency of Sweden
UIC Barcelona
University of Otago
NSW Health Pathology
Laboratoire National de Santé
Ministry of Health, Israel
Scottish Microbiology Reference Laboratories
The University of Sydney
University of Glasgow
University of West Attica
RWTH Aachen University
Amsterdam UMC - University of Amsterdam
CHI de Créteil

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	e275-e281
Journal	The Lancet Digital Health
Volume	7
Issue number	4
Early online date	2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00241-3
Publication status	Published - Apr 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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Shaw, D., Torreblanca, R. A., Amin-Chowdhury, Z., Bautista, A., Bennett, D., Broughton, K., Casanova, C., Choi, E. H., Claus, H., Corcoran, M., Cottrell, S., Cunney, R., Cuypers, L., Dalby, T., Davies, H., de Gouveia, L., Deghmane, A.-E., Desmet, S., Domenech, M., ... Brueggemann, A. B. (2025). The importance of microbiology reference laboratories and adequate funding for infectious disease surveillance. The Lancet Digital Health, 7(4), e275-e281. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00241-3

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abstract = "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.",

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year = "2025",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00241-3",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

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Shaw, D, Torreblanca, RA, Amin-Chowdhury, Z, Bautista, A, Bennett, D, Broughton, K, Casanova, C, Choi, EH, Claus, H, Corcoran, M, Cottrell, S, Cunney, R, Cuypers, L, Dalby, T, Davies, H, de Gouveia, L, Deghmane, A-E, Desmet, S, Domenech, M, Drew, R, Plessis, MD, Duarte, C, Fuursted, K, Golden, A, Almeida, SCG, Henares, D, Henriques-Normark, B, Hilty, M, Hoffmann, S, Humphreys, H, Jacobsson, S, Johnson, C, Jolley, KA, Kawabata, A, Kozakova, J, Kristinsson, KG, Krizova, P, Kuch, A, Ladhani, S, Lâm, T-T, Ayala, MEL, Lindholm, L, Litt, D, Maiden, MCJ, Martin, I, Martiny, D, Mattheus, W, McCarthy, ND, Meehan, M, Meiring, S, Mölling, P, Morfeldt, E, Morgan, J, Mulhall, R, Muñoz-Almagro, C, Murdoch, D, Musilek, M, Novakova, L, Oftadeh, S, Perez-Arguello, A, Pérez-Vázquez, MD, Perrin, M, Prevost, B, Roberts, M, Rokney, A, Ron, M, Sanabria, OM, Scott, KJ, Sempere, J, Siira, L, de Lemos, APS, Sintchenko, V, Skoczyńska, A, Slotved, H-C, Smith, AJ, Taha, M-K, Toropainen, M, Tzanakaki, G, Vainio, A, van der Linden, MPG, van Sorge, NM, Varon, E, Moreno, JV, Vohrnova, S, von Gottberg, A, Yuste, J & Brueggemann, AB 2025, 'The importance of microbiology reference laboratories and adequate funding for infectious disease surveillance', The Lancet Digital Health, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. e275-e281. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00241-3

TY - JOUR

T1 - The importance of microbiology reference laboratories and adequate funding for infectious disease surveillance

AU - Shaw, David

AU - Torreblanca, Raquel Abad

AU - Amin-Chowdhury, Zahin

AU - Bautista, Adriana

AU - Bennett, Desiree

AU - Broughton, Karen

AU - Casanova, Carlo

AU - Choi, Eun Hwa

AU - Claus, Heike

AU - Corcoran, Mary

AU - Cottrell, Simon

AU - Cunney, Robert

AU - Cuypers, Lize

AU - Dalby, Tine

AU - Davies, Heather

AU - de Gouveia, Linda

AU - Deghmane, Ala-Eddine

AU - Desmet, Stefanie

AU - Domenech, Mirian

AU - Drew, Richard

AU - Plessis, Mignon du

AU - Duarte, Carolina

AU - Fuursted, Kurt

AU - Golden, Alyssa

AU - Almeida, Samanta Cristine Grassi

AU - Henares, Desiree

AU - Henriques-Normark, Birgitta

AU - Hilty, Markus

AU - Hoffmann, Steen

AU - Humphreys, Hilary

AU - Jacobsson, Susanne

AU - Johnson, Christopher

AU - Jolley, Keith A.

AU - Kawabata, Aníbal

AU - Kozakova, Jana

AU - Kristinsson, Karl G.

AU - Krizova, Pavla

AU - Kuch, Alicja

AU - Ladhani, Shamez

AU - Lâm, Thiên-Trí

AU - Ayala, María Eugenia León

AU - Lindholm, Laura

AU - Litt, David

AU - Maiden, Martin C. J.

AU - Martin, Irene

AU - Martiny, Delphine

AU - Mattheus, Wesley

AU - McCarthy, Noel D.

AU - Meehan, Mary

AU - Meiring, Susan

AU - Mölling, Paula

AU - Morfeldt, Eva

AU - Morgan, Julie

AU - Mulhall, Robert

AU - Muñoz-Almagro, Carmen

AU - Murdoch, David

AU - Musilek, Martin

AU - Novakova, Ludmila

AU - Oftadeh, Shahin

AU - Perez-Arguello, Amaresh

AU - Pérez-Vázquez, Maria Dolores

AU - Perrin, Monique

AU - Prevost, Benoit

AU - Roberts, Maria

AU - Rokney, Assaf

AU - Ron, Merav

AU - Sanabria, Olga Marina

AU - Scott, Kevin J.

AU - Sempere, Julio

AU - Siira, Lotta

AU - de Lemos, Ana Paula Silva

AU - Sintchenko, Vitali

AU - Skoczyńska, Anna

AU - Slotved, Hans-Christian

AU - Smith, Andrew J.

AU - Taha, Muhamed-Kheir

AU - Toropainen, Maija

AU - Tzanakaki, Georgina

AU - Vainio, Anni

AU - van der Linden, Mark P. G.

AU - van Sorge, Nina M.

AU - Varon, Emmanuelle

AU - Moreno, Julio Vazquez

AU - Vohrnova, Sandra

AU - von Gottberg, Anne

AU - Yuste, Jose

AU - Brueggemann, Angela B.

PY - 2025/4

Y1 - 2025/4

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85214347985

U2 - 10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00241-3

DO - 10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00241-3

M3 - Review article

C2 - 39709282

SN - 2589-7500

VL - 7

SP - e275-e281

JO - The Lancet Digital Health

JF - The Lancet Digital Health

IS - 4

ER -

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

Abstract

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