Abstract:
Introduction The global landscape of infectious diseases is undergoing rapid and profound
change. Increased human mobility, climate-driven shifts in vector ecology,
intensified human-animal-environment interactions, and geopolitical instability have collectively amplified the risk of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. At the same time, public health systems are increasingly
confronted with pathogens that are unexpected, genetically diverse, or poorly represented in existing diagnostic panels. These developments highlight
the growing limitations of exclusively targeted diagnostic approaches and
underscore the need for broader, more adaptive tools.
In this context, metagenomic sequencing has emerged as a transformative
technology. By enabling unbiased detection and genomic characterization of
pathogens directly from clinical, environmental, or animal samples, metagenomics offers capabilities that extend far beyond conventional diagnostics.
While historically confined to research and outbreak investigations, metagenomics is now approaching a level of maturity that warrants serious consideration for integration into routine diagnostics and risk-oriented surveillance frameworks.
