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Zika virus is a flavivirus that is spread by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. The current outbreak and swift dissemination/spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) and its linkage to birth defects and neurological syndromes has prompted the development of novel diagnostic tests. Because ZIKV is serologically similar to other flaviviruses such as dengue virus (DNV), cross-reactivity occurs in diagnostic tests and can result in misdiagnoses. This is especially evident in populations that live in dengue-endemic regions or have received heterologous flaviviral vaccines (i.e., yellow fever 17D).

Heartland virus (HRTV) is a novel tick-borne virus first discovered in 2009 that causes flu-like symptoms such as fever, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, and diarrhea. Patients with HRTV often have low white blood cell counts, low platelet counts, and abnormal liver function tests which can become severe. Cases of Heartland virus disease have been identified in the Midwestern and southern United States. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat Heartland virus infections.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus primarily transmitted by infected Aedes mosquitoes. Infection with ZIKV during pregnancy can affect the fetus causing microcephaly, neurological complications, and other birth defects. Adults are also at risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome and other neurological disorders from ZIKV infection. In response to the 2015-2016 Zika outbreak, CDC researchers developed new Zika virus chimeras that can be used for inactivated Zika vaccine candidates and faster Zika antibody (Ab) neutralization assay testing.

The Zika virus (ZIKV) can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus. Resulting infection by this virus can cause early miscarriage and a pattern of severe birth defects in fetuses and infants. Therefore, a rapid diagnostic assay that can be performed throughout pregnancy in a clinical setting is vital for prenatal care of women living in areas where this virus may be transmitted.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the world's most pressing health concerns. ß-lactamases, such as carbapenemases, are enzymes produced by bacteria that provide resistance to multiple ß-lactam antibiotics (e.g., penicillins, cephamycins, and carbapenems) by breaking down the antibiotic molecules and deactivating their antibacterial properties. Carbapenems are broad-spectrum antibiotics often prescribed to treat serious infections in hospitalized patients, and infections with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) have become a challenge in healthcare settings.

Zika virus (ZIKV) can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus. Infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly and other severe birth defects. Currently, there are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat Zika infections.

Rabies occurs in more than 150 countries and territories, resulting in at least 55,000 human deaths per year worldwide according to World Health Organization estimates. Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease caused by numerous lyssaviruses that are found in a variety of animal species throughout the world. Rabies virus infects the central nervous system, causing disease in the brain with almost 100% mortality once clinical symptoms manifest.

The 2014-2016 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa was the largest in history, causing more than 28,000 suspected, probable, and confirmed infections and more than 11,000 deaths across nine countries. CDC scientists designed nucleic acid primers and probes which can be used in a sensitive test for detecting all known strains of Ebola virus (species Zaire ebolavirus) including the 2014/2015 strain that emerged in West Africa and the more recent strain that caused an EVD outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2017.

As of March 2017, 64 countries and territories had travel notices for active Zika virus transmissions. CDC developed the Trioplex rRT-PCR test to detect evidence of Zika virus infection and aid in differentiating this infection from dengue and chikungunya virus infections, all of which are spread by the same types of Aedes species mosquitoes and cause similar illness.

Currently available identification methods for antigen-specific antibodies require live pathogens, antisera (that are only available for a limited number of species), and species-specific secondary antibodies (also a limited resource). Thus, detection or surveillance of pathogens in wild avian species or zoo animals, for example, is complex and cumbersome.