1/ 🛠️ Our July update is here - and it's a technical one! New features for citations, search, submission, and more. Here's what's new in #Pathoplexus 👇 🔗 Full post: pathoplexus.org/news/2026-07...
Dr Emma Hodcroft
@firefoxx66.bsky.social
Die Virenjägerin! 🏹🧬! Using programming & phylogenetics, I study & track viruses. Co-developer of Nextstrain, based at Swiss TPH & Uni Basel. Founder of CoVariants.org, co-founder of @pathoplexus.org I like 🐈 & 🛫 @firefoxx66@mstdn.science
Important read from ARTIC PI Placide Mbala (INRB) and @krutikakuppalli.bsky.social in @statnews.com, on what the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak reveals about the limits of pathogen-specific diagnostics, and why we need pathogen-agnostic systems for the next emergency www.statnews.com/2026/07/01/e...
What Ebola and Marburg are teaching us about the next pandemic
“What is urgently needed is a shift from pathogen-specific diagnostics toward pathogen-agnostic diagnostic systems,” write Krutika Kuppalli and Placide Mbala.
statnews.com
Our first Annual Report is here! 📊 Covering Aug 2024 (our founding) through 2025: new viruses added, global submissions, software upgrades, & community & governance milestones. True to our values, it includes a full financial report + an audit 🔗 pathoplexus.org/about/govern...
1/ 🌍 Our June update is here! Two new pathogens added in response to active outbreaks, over 5,700 new sequences, and a growing community of labs from around the world. Here's what's new in #Pathoplexus 👇 Read the full update: pathoplexus.org/news/2026-06... 📰
Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can be equal to the effects of drinking alcohol for reaction time & attentiveness. For multiple nights now, many Basel residents won't have slept well in extreme heat - but may still be driving or operating machines. Be safe in this extreme heat everyone!
“By the way, they even said, OK, you invest a lot of money, and you know, even senior people come to us when Ebola comes. But you’re coming to prevent Ebola from coming to you to stop it here. It’s not because you want to save our lives. It’s not for us, it’s for you.”
The 11th commandment is actually "Thou shalt not send back an edited document with the same file name as the original."
📢Final days for abstracts/grants- deadline 22 Jun! Join us for the 1st Swiss Enterovirus Symposium, this Oct in Disentis! - 📑 submit abstract: forms.gle/Jfh86NqncGpy... - 💵 apply for student travel grant: forms.gle/6GzLKQZoUzu4... - 🎫 register: www.sib.swiss/event-coordi... 🏔️ More: ses2026.org
If you transitted through Vienna today and are missing a green suitcase, I can report that it's enjoying the sun on the tarmac outside of Gate 61. Hope it finds you again!
The ARTIC Primer Foundry is now live and will soon begin shipping BDBV primers on request primalscheme.com/orders
PrimalScheme: primer panels for multiplex PCR
PrimalScheme is a tool for designing primer panels for multiplex PCR. It uses a greedy algorithm to find primers for tiling amplicon generation for multiple reference genomes.
primalscheme.com
ARTIC network has published Bundibugyo (BDBV) sequencing resources as the 2026 outbreak continues in DRC & Uganda. We have compiled guidance for labs wishing to sequence, assemble and analyse BDBV genomes: artic.network/viruses/bdbv/bdbv-sequencing-guide.html
Bundibugyo virus genomic sequencing resources | ARTIC network - pathogen genomics from sample to response
artic.network
In light of the ongoing situation with Ebola in the DRC, I'm sorry to have to remind you that evolutionary biology makes it abundantly clear that ignoring a catastrophic disease outbreak because it's there, not here, is a terrible, terrible idea.
Evolutionary consequences of delaying intervention for monkeypox
Since May, 2022, clusters of monkeypox infections have caused global concern. At present, this concern has been tempered by the fact that, even when uncontrolled, the number of infections is growing s...
thelancet.com
Looking to find out more about genomic epidemiology and Hantavirus/ANDV? I'll be chairing a excellent panel of experts tomorrow (alongside some great opening speakers) - stop by and hear what they have to say!
🚨 Hantavirus and genomic epidemiology: Has it been smooth sailing? Join a special PHA4GE & IPSN webinar exploring how genomics supported the response to the Hantavirus outbreak. 📅 20 May 2026 🕒 14:00 CEST 📍 Zoom Register: bit.ly/4ulwHKm #PHA4GE #Hantavirus
Birth rate discourse is like “It turns out if you give women more choices, they’re less likely to make ones that make their lives harder.” Which is really helpful in figuring out how we can improve society somewhat. But instead people are like wow giving women more choices was a mistake
The contrast between the number of media requests I got when rich people on a cruise were facing a deadly, but contained outbreak versus now that some of the poorest people in the world are facing a deadly and devastating epidemic is just so so stark and it just really annoys the hell out of me.
🚨 Hantavirus and genomic epidemiology: Has it been smooth sailing? Join a special PHA4GE & IPSN webinar exploring how genomics supported the response to the Hantavirus outbreak. 📅 20 May 2026 🕒 14:00 CEST 📍 Zoom Register: bit.ly/4ulwHKm #PHA4GE #Hantavirus
Teams in the Democratic Republic of the Congo & Uganda have now shared the first sequences from the current Ebola (Bundibugyo virus) outbreak using Pathoplexus, just days after cases were confirmed. Read more about the response to Bundibugyo virus here: pathoplexus.org/news/2026-05...
Pathoplexus | Ebola: Rapid response to the Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the DRC and Uganda
Pathoplexus is a new, open-source database dedicated to the efficient sharing of human viral pathogen genomic data, fostering global collaboration and public health response.
pathoplexus.org
1/ 🚀 Pathoplexus now supports Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), a species of Ebolavirus. BDBV has been associated with past outbreaks of Ebola in the DR Congo and Uganda, & a case has been reported today during response to the current Ebola outbreak. pathoplexus.org/ebola-bdbv #ebola #bdbv #ebolaoutbreak
Nextstrain #ANDV trees updated with a few improvements: - 2 outbreaks marked - host scientific/common name added - province now visible on map - date colouring added Here's a quick tour of how to change colours, geography & names! Links to trees here (scroll down): nextstrain.org/groups/hodcr...
Since launching support for the Andes virus species of hantavirus two days ago, we have already received submissions from four countries' sequencing teams. This is a testament to the rapid response of researchers, sharing real-time data. Read more in our news post: pathoplexus.org/news/2026-05...
Pathoplexus | Andes virus: supporting response to the current hantavirus outbreak
Pathoplexus is a new, open-source database dedicated to the efficient sharing of human viral pathogen genomic data, fostering global collaboration and public health response.
pathoplexus.org
My ANDV #Hantavirus @nextstrain.org phylogenies now pull directly from @pathoplexus.org to incorporate all seqs I'll continue to improve them, & will keep them updated Change the Tip Labels in the left-hand menu. You can see links to all builds, plus tanglegrams at: nextstrain.org/groups/hodcr...
Incredibly proud of the @pathoplexus.org team for getting this up so quickly. In an outbreak like this, it's critical to share data quickly & openly - so scientists can do public health analyses (like the @nextstrain.org builds) - while still protecting the right to publish on generated sequences.
1/ 🚀 Pathoplexus now supports the Andes variant of Hantavirus (ANDV). ANDV is the variant identified in the recent MV Hondius cases, & the Hantavirus variant previously identified as having occasional human-to-human transmission. pathoplexus.org/andv #hantavirus #hondius
4/ This is an ongoing outbreak of high interest, with few sequences available. In such a situation, Restricted-Use sequences are highly unlikely to be ‘background’ sequences. Please ensure you follow our Data Use Terms in preprints/publications & co-author with other submitters.
1/ 🚀 Pathoplexus now supports the Andes variant of Hantavirus (ANDV). ANDV is the variant identified in the recent MV Hondius cases, & the Hantavirus variant previously identified as having occasional human-to-human transmission. pathoplexus.org/andv #hantavirus #hondius
I've built some initial Nextstrain phylogenies of the Andes Hantavirus variant, which include the sequence generated by HUG & UniZurich, Switzerland. Please interpret with caution. By segment: S: nextstrain.org/groups/hodcr... M: nextstrain.org/groups/hodcr... L: nextstrain.org/groups/hodcr...
After 15 years of reporting on infectious disease outbreaks, what continues to fascinate me about them is the challenge of making high-stakes decisions under uncertainty. The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius is a perfect example My story in @science.org is here (and a thread to come): 🧪 #IDsky
What to do with the passengers on the cruise ship hit by hantavirus?
Past studies of Andes virus offer scant evidence on transmission risks, and have sparked debate
science.org
A useful concept in outbreaks is the "reasonable worst case", which is not the worst that can happen but is significantly worse than the current trajectory. The current trajectory is that this is a very distressing situation for those involved that we can take meaningful steps to avoid in future. >
Third Briton has suspected hantavirus linked to cruise ship outbreak
📢EVE Group is thrilled to announce the 1st Swiss Enterovirus Symposium🦠, this autumn in beautiful Disentis! Registration opens soon - but go ahead and - 📑 submit your abstract: forms.gle/Jfh86NqncGpy... - 💵 apply for a student travel grant: forms.gle/6GzLKQZoUzu4... ! 🏔️ See you there! ses2026.org
Probably a good time for a few general caveats for those watching the developing story of the #hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius - especially the more anxious ones among you. (Long-time followers will know most of this by heart at this point): 🧪
I've had a lot of questions about Hantavirus recently - and some alarmism in some places. It's been a while since I wore this hat - but let's chat! 💬 Top Line: Am I worried? No, not really. I don't see evidence this is something that will spread widely. 1/N