Ebola and Marburg outbreaks highlight need for pathogen-agnostic diagnostics

The authors describe a current Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, which has resulted in more than 1,300 confirmed cases and over 375 deaths.

While the lack of licensed vaccines and treatments for this Ebola species draws attention, they argue that the most critical shortfall is the inability to quickly and reliably identify the virus on the ground.

Existing diagnostic tools, such as GeneXpert assays, were designed for Zaire ebolavirus and therefore miss other species, delaying response measures.

Kuppalli and Mbala call for a shift toward diagnostic platforms that can detect a wide range of pathogens without needing virus‑specific tests, a change they see as essential for future pandemic preparedness.