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Review
. 2013 Apr;3(2):199-204.
doi: 10.1016/j.coviro.2013.03.010. Epub 2013 Apr 17.

Viral surveillance and discovery

Walter Ian Lipkin  1 , Cadhla Firth
Affiliations
Review

Viral surveillance and discovery

Walter Ian Lipkin et al. Curr Opin Virol. 2013 Apr.

Abstract

The field of virus discovery has burgeoned with the advent of high throughput sequencing platforms and bioinformatics programs that enable rapid identification and molecular characterization of known and novel agents, investments in global microbial surveillance that include wildlife and domestic animals as well as humans, and recognition that viruses may be implicated in chronic as well as acute diseases. Here we review methods for viral surveillance and discovery, strategies and pitfalls in linking discoveries to disease, and identify opportunities for improvements in sequencing instrumentation and analysis, the use of social media and medical informatics that will further advance clinical medicine and public health.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Staged strategy for pathogen discovery and proof of causation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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