title: New microbiology tools for public health and their implications.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. bjr1@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Betty H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: Janet K A
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Nicholson
mesh_terms: D015984:Causality; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000379:methods; D046228:Microarray Analysis / Q000379:methods; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology / Q000379:methods; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D014481:United States