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Diagnostics
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Recent Advances in Epidemiological Diagnostics: Detecting and Controlling Infectious Diseases
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Recent Advances in Epidemiological Diagnostics: Detecting and Controlling Infectious Diseases

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1113

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sri Banerjee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health Sciences and Public Policy Core Faculty, Walden University, 100 Washington Avenue South Suite 1210, Minneapolis, MN 55401, USA
Interests: public health; global health; infection diseases; cardiovascular health; chronic disease; mental health; global health; social epidemiology; cancer; injury prevention
Dr. W. Sumner Davis

E-Mail
Guest Editor Assistant
College of Health Sciences, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN 55401, USA
Interests: public health; global health; infection diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, "Recent Advances in Epidemiological Diagnostics: Detecting and Controlling Infectious Diseases", explores the cutting-edge methodologies and innovations in the field of epidemiological diagnostics. It compiles a diverse range of manuscripts encompassing novel diagnostic techniques, rapid test developments, and advanced data analytics for the early detection of infectious diseases. Contributions also delve into strategies for effective disease control, highlighting the integration of technology with public health measures. By showcasing these advancements, the Special Issue aims to foster a deeper understanding of how scientific progress can help mitigate the impact of infectious diseases globally.

Dr. Sri Banerjee
Guest Editor

Dr. W. Sumner Davis
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • epidemiological diagnostics
  • disease control
  • clinical practice and patient care
  • public health
  • infectious diseases

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2072 KB  
Article
Long-Term Retrospective Analysis of Parvovirus B19 Infections in Blood Donors (2012–2024): Significant Increase in Prevalence Following the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
by Michaela Oeller, Orkan Kartal, Iuliia Trifonova, Nina Held, Alexandra Domnica Hoeggerl, Heidrun Neureiter, Wanda Lauth, Christoph Grabmer, Eva Rohde and Sandra Laner-Plamberger
Diagnostics 2025, 15(18), 2313; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15182313 - 11 Sep 2025
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a non-enveloped single-stranded DNA virus transmissible by blood transfusion, with potentially severe outcomes in immunocompromised and pregnant recipients. In this study, we investigated the B19V prevalence in 441,084 blood donations from Salzburg, Austria, collected between 2012 and [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a non-enveloped single-stranded DNA virus transmissible by blood transfusion, with potentially severe outcomes in immunocompromised and pregnant recipients. In this study, we investigated the B19V prevalence in 441,084 blood donations from Salzburg, Austria, collected between 2012 and 2024, focusing on changes in epidemiological dynamics before, during, and after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Additionally, the B19VB19V persistence and its implications for deferral policies were assessed. Methods: Donor samples were screened for B19VB19V DNA by qPCR (2012–2024) and for SARS-CoV-2 total anti-N antibodies (2020–2024). B19VB19V prevalence rates, cycle threshold (Ct) values, and seasonal distribution were compared between pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic phases. Follow-up testing of initially B19VB19V-positive donors was performed after a 2-year deferral period. Results: The B19VB19V positivity rate of 0.13% (2012–2019) significantly decreased to 0.02% during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (2020–2022). A substantial increase occurred post-pandemic, with prevalence reaching 1.47% in 2024. Significant lower Ct values were observed in the post-pandemic phase, indicating higher viral loads. Additionally, younger donors (aged 18–45 years) showed significantly lower Ct values. After a 2-year deferral, 39% of re-tested donors remained B19VB19V DNA-positive. Conclusions: B19VB19V circulation increased substantially after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Our observation is consistent with international reports and is likely due to an ‘immunity debt’ that has been accumulated due to pandemic-related public health interventions. Targeted B19VB19V screening and strict deferral strategies may be warranted particularly during outbreak periods to protect high-risk transfusion recipients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Epidemiological Diagnostics: Detecting and Controlling Infectious Diseases)
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14 pages, 957 KB  
Article
Improving Management of Viral Febrile Illness and Reducing the Need for Empiric Antibiotics Using VIDAS® Immunoassay for Dengue and Chikungunya: A West African Multicentric Study
by Fanette Ravel, Solenne Robert, Diakourga Arthur Djibougou, Kigninlman Horo, Aristophane Tanon, Privat Ango, Palpouguini Félix Lompo, Faustine Meynier, Ludovic Brossault, Umit Guler, Jacques Simpore and Potiandi Serge Diagbouga
Diagnostics 2025, 15(17), 2269; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15172269 - 8 Sep 2025
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Abstract
Background: Dengue and chikungunya are endemic in West Africa, posing significant public health issues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of differential and systematic diagnosis of dengue and chikungunya on patient management and on antibiotic use in Burkina Faso [...] Read more.
Background: Dengue and chikungunya are endemic in West Africa, posing significant public health issues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of differential and systematic diagnosis of dengue and chikungunya on patient management and on antibiotic use in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. Methods: A multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted in both countries involving patients with suspected dengue and/or chikungunya viremia. VIDAS® diagnostic tests (bioMérieux SA, Marcy-l’Étoile, France) were provided to the intervention sites, while the control sites initially followed standard of care before testing at the end of the study. The primary outcome was defined as antibiotic prescription or non-initiation/discontinuation, and the secondary endpoints included hospital resource use, patient satisfaction, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), analyzed through Chi-square and logistic regression using SAS software v9.4. Results: Out of 775 enrolled patients, 767 had corresponding VIDAS® Dengue and VIDAS® Chikungunya results, with 570 having recorded antibiotic therapy (initiated, non-initiated or discontinued). Both Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast observed an increase in antibiotic discontinuation (or non-initiation) rates at the intervention sites compared to control sites: increased from 60% to 78% in Burkina Faso and from 36% to 83% in Ivory Coast. Hospitalization rates within seven days following inclusion were also lower in intervention sites than in the control sites: Burkina Faso 41% as compared with 97% and Ivory Coast 24% as compared with 98%. Patient-reported antibiotic use within seven days post-inclusion was also significantly lower in intervention sites. Conclusions: The results showed a reduction in potential antibiotic overuse and hospital admissions (i.e., hospitalization rates within seven days) in both the Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast interventions sites. These findings emphasize the importance of enhanced diagnostic strategies for the improvement of patient outcomes and the fight against antibiotic resistance. This study also highlights the need for implementing systematic and differential diagnosis of dengue and chikungunya in West Africa where febrile infections are endemic. Further studies are warranted to explore the economic benefits of these diagnostic strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Epidemiological Diagnostics: Detecting and Controlling Infectious Diseases)
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17 pages, 3477 KB  
Article
Breaking Diagnostic Barriers: Vision Transformers Redefine Monkeypox Detection
by Gelan Ayana, Beshatu Debela Wako, So-yun Park, Jude Kong, Sahng Min Han, Soon-Do Yoon and Se-woon Choe
Diagnostics 2025, 15(13), 1698; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15131698 - 3 Jul 2025
Viewed by 541
Abstract
Background/Objective: The global spread of Monkeypox (Mpox) has highlighted the urgent need for rapid, accurate diagnostic tools. Traditional methods like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are resource-intensive, while skin image-based detection offers a promising alternative. This study evaluates the effectiveness of vision transformers (ViTs) [...] Read more.
Background/Objective: The global spread of Monkeypox (Mpox) has highlighted the urgent need for rapid, accurate diagnostic tools. Traditional methods like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are resource-intensive, while skin image-based detection offers a promising alternative. This study evaluates the effectiveness of vision transformers (ViTs) for automated Mpox detection. Methods: By fine-tuning a pre-trained ViT model on an Mpox lesion image dataset, a robust ViT-based transfer learning (TL) model was created. Performance was assessed relative to convolutional neural network (CNN)-based TL models and ViT models trained from scratch across key metrics: accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Furthermore, a transferability measure was utilized to assess the effectiveness of feature transfer to Mpox images. Results: The results show that the ViT model outperformed a CNN, achieving an AUC of 0.948 and an accuracy of 0.942 with a p-value of less than 0.05 across all metrics, highlighting its potential for accurate and scalable Mpox detection. Moreover, the ViT models yielded a better hypothesis margin-based transferability measure, highlighting its effectiveness in transferring useful learning weights to Mpox images. Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) visualizations also confirmed that the ViT model attends to clinically relevant features, supporting its interpretability and reliability for diagnostic use. Conclusions: The results from this study suggest that ViT offers superior accuracy, making it a valuable tool for Mpox early detection in field settings, especially where conventional diagnostics are limited. This approach could support faster outbreak response and improved resource allocation in public health systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Epidemiological Diagnostics: Detecting and Controlling Infectious Diseases)
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22 pages, 855 KB  
Systematic Review
Prevalence of Tuberculosis in Central Asia and Southern Caucasus: A Systematic Literature Review
by Malika Idayat, Elena von der Lippe, Nailya Kozhekenova, Oyunzul Amartsengel, Kamila Akhmetova, Ainash Oshibayeva, Zhansaya Nurgaliyeva and Natalya Glushkova
Diagnostics 2025, 15(18), 2314; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15182314 - 12 Sep 2025
Abstract
Background: In 2023, tuberculosis (TB) caused 1.25 million deaths globally, remaining a leading infectious killer. Central Asia and Southern Caucasus face high TB burdens, particularly Mongolia. This review synthesizes TB prevalence data and diagnostic capabilities in these regions to support public health [...] Read more.
Background: In 2023, tuberculosis (TB) caused 1.25 million deaths globally, remaining a leading infectious killer. Central Asia and Southern Caucasus face high TB burdens, particularly Mongolia. This review synthesizes TB prevalence data and diagnostic capabilities in these regions to support public health strategies. Methods: This systematic review aimed to synthesize current data on TB prevalence in Central Asia, Southern Caucasus, and Mongolia to support public health strategies and research priorities. A comprehensive search of PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted for English-language articles published up to 2023. Studies were assessed using a modified Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria, covering Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Results: TB incidence ranged from 67 per 100,000 in Kazakhstan to 190 per 100,000 in Kyrgyzstan, with the highest prevalence of 68.5% in Mongolia. TB affected men more frequently (65.3%), and the key risk factors included HIV (30.5%), comorbidities, and undernutrition. Diagnostic performance varied significantly (microscopy sensitivity, 45–65%; GeneXpert MTB/RIF, 89–96% sensitivity and 98% specificity for rifampicin resistance). Diagnostic turnaround times ranged from hours (molecular) to weeks (conventional). Only 58% of TB facilities had GeneXpert technology, with urban–rural disparities in diagnostic access. Drug-resistant TB imposed a significant economic burden, with treatment costs ranging from USD 106 to USD 3125. Conclusions: Strengthening surveillance, improving data collection, and conducting longitudinal studies are essential for designing effective TB control strategies in these regions. Significant diagnostic gaps persist across these regions, especially with regard to drug-resistant strains. Point-of-care molecular diagnostics, improved algorithms, and expanded laboratory training show promise. Future research should focus on rapid biomarker-based diagnostics, field-deployable technologies for settings with limited resources, and AI integration to enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Epidemiological Diagnostics: Detecting and Controlling Infectious Diseases)
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