Shaw, DavidTorreblanca, Raquel AbadAmin-Chowdhury, ZahinBautista, AdrianaBennett, DesireeBroughton, KarenCasanova, CarloChoi, Eun HwaClaus, HeikeCorcoran, MaryCottrell, SimonCunney, RobertCuypers, LizeDalby, TineDavies, Heatherde Gouveia, LindaDeghmane, Ala-EddineDesmet, StefanieDomenech, MirianDrew, RichardPlessis, Mignon duDuarte, CarolinaFuursted, KurtGolden, AlyssaAlmeida, Samanta Cristine GrassiHenares, DesireeHenriques-Normark, BirgittaHilty, MarkusHoffmann, SteenHumphreys, HilaryJacobsson, SusanneJohnson, ChristopherJolley, Keith AKawabata, AníbalKozakova, JanaKristinsson, Karl GústafKrizova, PavlaKuch, AlicjaLadhani, ShamezLâm, Thiên-TríAyala, María Eugenia LeónLindholm, LauraLitt, DavidMaiden, Martin C JMartin, IreneMartiny, DelphineMattheus, WesleyMcCarthy, Noel DMeehan, MaryMeiring, SusanMölling, PaulaMorfeldt, EvaMorgan, JulieMulhall, RobertMuñoz-Almagro, CarmenMurdoch, DavidMusilek, MartinNovakova, LudmilaOftadeh, ShahinPerez-Arguello, AmareshPérez-Vázquez, Maria DoloresPerrin, MoniquePrevost, BenoitRoberts, MariaRokney, AssafRon, MeravSanabria, Olga MarinaScott, Kevin JSempere, JulioSiira, Lottade Lemos, Ana Paula SilvaSintchenko, VitaliSkoczyńska, AnnaSlotved, Hans-ChristianSmith, Andrew JTaha, Muhamed-KheirToropainen, MaijaTzanakaki, GeorginaVainio, Annivan der Linden, Mark P Gvan Sorge, Nina MVaron, EmmanuelleMoreno, Julio VazquezVohrnova, Sandravon Gottberg, AnneYuste, JoseBrueggemann, Angela B2025-11-202025-11-202025-04Shaw, D, Torreblanca, R A, Amin-Chowdhury, Z, Bautista, A, Bennett, D, Broughton, K, Casanova, C, Choi, E H, Claus, H, Corcoran, M, Cottrell, S, Cunney, R, Cuypers, L, Dalby, T, Davies, H, de Gouveia, L, Deghmane, A-E, Desmet, S, Domenech, M, Drew, R, Plessis, M D, Duarte, C, Fuursted, K, Golden, A, Almeida, S C G, Henares, D, Henriques-Normark, B, Hilty, M, Hoffmann, S, Humphreys, H, Jacobsson, S, Johnson, C, Jolley, K A, Kawabata, A, Kozakova, J, Kristinsson, K G, Krizova, P, Kuch, A, Ladhani, S, Lâm, T-T, Ayala, M E L, Lindholm, L, Litt, D, Maiden, M C J, Martin, I, Martiny, D, Mattheus, W, McCarthy, N D, Meehan, M, Meiring, S, Mölling, P, Morfeldt, E, Morgan, J, Mulhall, R, Muñoz-Almagro, C, Murdoch, D, Musilek, M, Novakova, L, Oftadeh, S, Perez-Arguello, A, Pérez-Vázquez, M D, Perrin, M, Prevost, B, Roberts, M, Rokney, A, Ron, M, Sanabria, O M, Scott, K J, Sempere, J, Siira, L, de Lemos, A P S, Sintchenko, V, Skoczyńska, A, Slotved, H-C, Smith, A J, Taha, M-K, Toropainen, M, Tzanakaki, G, Vainio, A, van der Linden, M P G, van Sorge, N M, Varon, E, Moreno, J V, Vohrnova, S, von Gottberg, A, Yuste, J & Brueggemann, A B 2025, 'The importance of microbiology reference laboratories and adequate funding for infectious disease surveillance', The Lancet Digital Health, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. e275-e281. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00241-32589-7500235559096fcff9edb-b6b5-48b5-ae9b-6cb60bded5fc3970928285214347985https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/7740Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Publisher Copyright: © 2025 Elsevier Ltd Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Microbiology reference laboratories perform a crucial role within public health systems. This role was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this Viewpoint, we emphasise the importance of microbiology reference laboratories and highlight the types of digital data and expertise they provide, which benefit national and international public health. We also highlight the value of surveillance initiatives among collaborative international partners, who work together to share, analyse, and interpret data, and then disseminate their findings in a timely manner. Microbiology reference laboratories have substantial impact at regional, national, and international levels, and sustained support for these laboratories is essential for public health in both pandemic and non-pandemic times.604766e275-e281eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesssýklafræði/dk/atira/pure/researchoutput/researchoutputtypes/contributiontojournal/systematicreview10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00241-3