Goal: identify articles describing the development or application of next-generation sequencing or other novel technologies to public health efforts to detect, monitor, prevent and control infectious diseases.

Include:

• Novel methods for detecting or characterizing human pathogens, including laboratory techniques and analysis pipelines, bioinformatics tools, new reference databases.
• Pathogen characterization, including genomic correlates of virulence and antimicrobial resistance; also, pathogen genotype-human phenotype correlation, e.g., disease severity or progression.
• Pathogen genomic variation and evolution, including population surveys, comparative genomics, and within-host evolution; also, identification of novel pathogens and genome sequences.
• Novel diagnostic techniques and tests; genomic correlates of classical phenotypes, e.g., serotype; use of genomic tests for surveillance.
• Epidemiologic studies that incorporate genomic information to investigate disease transmission or outbreaks.
• Novel antimicrobials and vaccines based on pathogen genomics; evaluation of public health interventions using pathogen or vector genomic markers, e.g., insecticide resistance.
• Analyses of human microbiome; clinical or epidemiologic studies of host genetics in infectious diseases; human or pathogen genetics in relation to infectious causes of chronic diseases, e.g., hepatitis and liver cancer.

Exclude:

• Classic microbiological methods, including serology and routine PCR; methods and resources for human genomics.
• Environmental microbes or plant pathogens; phylogenetic studies based on single/few genes; Genome Announcements (unless CDC-authored).
• Basic microbiological science, e.g., gene function; studies based on well-established molecular markers, e.g., for antimicrobial resistance.
• Evaluation of commercial diagnostic tests.
• Surveys of well-established molecular markers in clinical populations.
• In vitro or animal studies of potential drugs or vaccines.
• Studies focused on biomarkers of immunity.

General selection priorities:

• Novel methods and applications - vs. – routine use of accepted methods.
• Systematic, comprehensive, or unique studies – vs. – small, ad hoc, or routine clinical studies.
• Public health relevance – vs. – specific to clinical practice.
• CDC-sponsored or –authored.