The importance of microbiology reference laboratories and adequate funding for infectious disease surveillance
David R. Shaw, Raquel Abad Torreblanca, Zahin Amin‐Chowdhury, Adriana Bautista, Désirée E. 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 J. Drew, Mignon du Plessis, Carolina Duarte, Kurt Fuursted, Alyssa Golden, Samanta Cristine Grassi Almeida, Desirée Henares, Birgitta Henriques‐Normark, Markus Hilty, Steen Hoffmann, H. Humphreys, Susanne Jacobsson, Christopher R. Johnson, Keith A. Jolley, Aníbal Kawabata, Jana Kozáková, Karl G. Kristinsson, Pavla Křížová, Alicja Kuch, Shamez Ladhani, Thiên‐Trí Lâm, María Eugenia León Ayala, Laura Lindholm, David Litt, Martin Maiden, Irene Martín, Delphine Martiny, Wesley Mattheus, Noel McCarthy, Mary Meehan, Susan Meiring, Paula Mölling, Eva Morfeldt, Julie Morgan, Robert Mulhall, Carmen Muñoz‐Almagro, David R. Murdoch, Martin Musílek, Ludmila Nováková, Shahin Oftadeh, Amaresh Pérez-Argüello, Marı́a Pérez-Vázquez, Monique Perrin, Benoît Prévost, Maria Roberts, Assaf Rokney, M. Ron, Olga Sanabria, Kevin J Scott, Julio Sempere, Lotta Siira, Ana Paula Silva de Lemos, Vitali Sintchenko, Anna Skoczyńska, Hans‐Christian Slotved, Andrew Smith, Muhamed‐Kheir Taha, Maija Toropainen, Georgina Tzanakaki, Anni Vainio, Mark P. G. van der Linden, Nina M. van Sorge, Emmanuelle Varon, Julio A. Vázquez, Sandra Vohrnova, Anne von Gottberg, José Yuste, Angela B. Brueggemann
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.