Next-generation sequencing: approaches to leverage its power for genomic surveillance, pathogen detection, and outbreak investigation

Public health surveillance and detection is defined as the ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of data regarding a health-related event for use in public health actions to reduce morbidity and mortality and to improve health (1). In recent years, whole genome sequencing (WGS) by next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has enabled rapid, precise, accurate, and cost-effective characterization of pathogens to support clinical interventions and public health responses (2).