Microbe hunting in laboratory animal research.
Recent advances in nucleic acid diagnostic technologies have revolutionized microbiology by facilitating rapid, sensitive pathogen surveillance and differential diagnosis of infectious diseases. With the expansion and dissemination of genomic sequencing technology scientists are discovering new microbes at an accelerating pace. In this article we review recent progress in the field of pathogen surveillance and discovery with a specific focus on applications in the field of laboratory animal research. We discuss the challenges in proving a causal relationship between the presence of a candidate organism and disease. We also discuss the strengths and limitations of various assay platforms and describe a staged strategy for viral diagnostics. To illustrate the complexity of pursuing pathogen discovery research, we include examples from our own work that are intended to provide insights into the process that led to the selection of particular strategies.
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. gp2050@columbia.edu
Gustavo
G
Palacio
Thomas
T
Briese
W Ian
WI
Lipkin
D032761:Animal Experimentation; D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity