COVID-19, influenza A H5N1, monkeypox (mpox): is laboratory medicine ready for the next pandemic?

One of the key lessons we have learned during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is that the availability of rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases through AG-RDTs is a cost-effective pillar of any strategy aimed at mitigating the impact of infectious diseases on the population, particularly for individuals at higher risk of developing severe forms of illness. AG-RDTs are also valuable for epidemiological purposes, for monitoring infection progression and patient infectivity, as the time to positivity often correlates well with viral load. Given this, there is an urgent need to accelerate the development and clinical validation of AG-RDTs for influenza A H5N1 and mpox. These tests must be validated by laboratory experts before they can be deployed for widespread testing, especially because the initial clinical signs and symptoms of these diseases can be quite similar. It is essential for the diagnostics industry and the scientific community to collaborate effectively to address this gap, ensuring preparedness and swift response in the event of future pandemics.