Biomarkers in Translational Viral Diagnostics: Biological Foundations, Integrating Pathogen Detection, Host Response, and Multi-Omics for Clinical Decision-Making

Adetunbosun Adekoya, Precious-Esther Efuneshi, Kehinde Adeyeye

Abstract

Viral diseases remain a major global public health problem and the need for rapid, sensitive and accurate diagnostic testing. Translational viral diagnostics is based on biomarkers (molecular markers of viral infection, host response, severity and treatment outcome). This review combines the principal types of biomarkers, including pathogen biomarkers (viral nucleic acids, proteins, mutations), host response biomarkers (cytokines and chemokines, immune cell populations, serological markers), and multi-omics biomarkers from transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenetics, and microbiome analysis. The technologies for their detection will be discussed, including PCR, next-generation sequencing, CRISPR-based technologies, immunoassays, biosensors, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as the clinical applications of biomarkers in early detection, severity assessment, therapeutic response, and vaccine response. Progress is still minimal, with biological variability, assay harmonisation, and cost and global access to diagnostics still to be addressed. Researchers and developers will direct the next generation of technologies toward multi-omics integration, point-of-care devices, next-generation CRISPR, amplification-free detection, and AI-driven predictive diagnostics and disease surveillance. The entire shift in biomarker-based diagnostics in clinical management, public health strategy, and preparedness for the emergence of viral diseases is a paradigm shift.


10.22178/pos.129-31


Keywords


Biomarkers; Viral Diagnostics; Translational Medicine; Host Immune Response; Pathogen-Derived Biomarkers; Multi-Omics; Transcriptomics; Proteomics

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