Emerging and Re-emerging Viral Pathogens: Surveillance, Genomics, and Outbreak Response

This chapter reviews the biological, ecological, and epidemiological factors driving the emergence and re-emergence of viral pathogens with pandemic potential, including zoonotic spillover events and the role of environmental and human behavioural determinants. It discusses advances in viral genomic surveillance technologies — including next-generation sequencing and real-time phylogenomics — and their application to outbreak detection and response. The chapter further evaluates the translational value of these technologies in the context of recent outbreaks caused by SARS-CoV-2, mpox, Ebola, and other high-consequence viruses.