Emerging Viral Diseases: A 2025 Update for Laboratorians

Course overview

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, clinical laboratories continue to face new, challenging outbreaks. In this lecture we will explore some recently emerging (influenza A(H5) and mpox) and reemerging (measles and pertussis) pathogens that may be encountered in the clinical laboratory. Special emphasis will be placed on how these outbreaks originated and how lab testing contributes in helping control the spread. A practical discussion will focus on challenges in assay validation for newly emerging or reemerging pathogens and what steps your laboratory can take to be prepared for the next outbreak.