Next-Generation Diagnostics in Infectious Disease: Genomics, Point-of-Care Technologies, and Artificial Intelligence

This chapter provides a state-of-the-art survey of transformative diagnostic technologies reshaping infectious disease detection and surveillance, including whole-genome sequencing, metagenomic next-generation sequencing, CRISPR-based assays, digital PCR, and rapid antigen platforms suitable for deployment in resource-limited settings. The application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in pathogen identification, outbreak cluster detection, and antimicrobial susceptibility prediction is critically evaluated. The chapter also addresses challenges related to assay standardisation, regulatory approval pathways, cost-effectiveness, and equitable global access to advanced diagnostic tools.