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Infectious Diseases Committee

The Infectious Diseases (ID) Committee advocates for public health laboratory needs and addresses gaps in laboratory testing across all infectious diseases, with five subcommittees that focus on disease-specific issues.

Questions?

Contact us: [email protected]

Our Purpose

About the Committee

Committee Charge

The Infectious Disease committee serves to advise the board, the Association, and its partners on laboratory capacity and capability and the role of the laboratory in the detection, control and prevention of infectious diseases of public health significance. In addition, the committee advises on the evaluation and implementation of new technologies for the detection of infectious agents, addresses challenges facing public health and provides input to shape public health policy as it relates to infectious diseases. 

Priorities

  • Address issues pertaining to the maintenance of laboratory capability and capacity for infectious diseases of public health importance, including the exploration of shared service models. 
  • Explore the use, performance and utility of new and existing diagnostic technologies and consider the impact of these technologies on public health practice. 
  • Assist public health laboratories with guidance and tools for monitoring and responding appropriately to existing or impending infectious disease threats, outbreaks and/or emergencies. 
  • Monitor and respond to changes in federal regulations, funding or public health infrastructure that may impact infectious disease testing in public health laboratories. 
  • Identify and promote the role of public health laboratories in applied and collaborative research including publications and national conference presentations. 

Subcommittees

The ID Committee maintains five subcommittees:  

  • HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections 
  • Influenza and Respiratory Pathogens 
  • Next Generation Sequencing  
  • Tuberculosis
  • Vector-borne Diseases 
Our Work

Projects and Work Products

Current Projects

The ID Committee is currently working on: 

  • Defining core infectious disease functions of public health laboratories, including what testing capacity means and what specific capacities are needed.  
  • Evaluating expanded applications of existing laboratory equipment to improve infectious disease testing throughput or efficiency.  
  • Identifying data needs and evaluate evaluating potential changes to the HIV Diagnostic Algorithm. 

Recently Completed Work Products

The ID Committee was instrumental in producing the following materials:

Guide / Guidance
2025
Laboratory Diagnosis of Rabies: The Role of Molecular Testing
Recommendations and considerations for expanding molecular testing options for postmortem diagnosis of rabies virus in animals
Infectious Diseases, Viruses
Report
2025
Nontuberculous mycobacteria: An Emerging Public Health Concern
This brief explores why nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) should be a nationally notifiable condition and how public health laboratories can play a larger role in the public health response
Infectious Diseases
Tool / Work Aid
2025
Suggested Reporting Language for the HIV Laboratory Diagnostic Testing Algorithm (Fourth Edition)
This document clarifies complex testing outcomes and guides laboratory reporting of HIV test results to providers and health department surveillance programs. Fourth Edition.
Infectious Diseases, HIV and Hepatitis
Our Team

Meet the Committee

The Committee has members representing state and local APHL member laboratories.

Sara Vetter, PhD, D(ABMM)
Committee Chair | Minnesota Public Health Laboratory Division

Alana Sterkel, PhD, D(ABMM), SM(ASCP)
Committee vice-Chair | Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene 

Kara Levinson, PhD, MPH, D(ABMM)
APHL Board of Directors Liaison | Tennessee Department of Health 

Anthony Tran, DrPH, MPH, D(ABMM) 
APHL Board of Directors Liaison | California Department of Public Health

Vaneet Arora, MD, MPH, D(ABMM)
Kentucky Division of Laboratory Sciences

Drew Francis, M(ASCP)CM 
Arizona Bureau of State Laboratory Services

William A. Glover II, PhD, D(ABMM), MLS(ASCP)
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

Jane Hata, PhD, D (ABMM)
Mayo Clinic Florida

Richard Huard, PhD, D(ABMM), FCCM
Rhode Island State Health Laboratories

Thomas Kirn, PhD, MD
New Jersey Division of Public Health and Environmental Laboratories

Grace Kubin, PhD
Texas Department of State Health Services

Shannon R. Matzinger, PhD
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Jenny Meredith, PhD, HCLD(ABB)
South Carolina Public Health Laboratory

Kimberlee A. Musser, PhD
New York state Department of Health, Wadsworth Center 

Michelle Roberson, MS, MBA
Marion County Health Department

Saba Shama, MBBS, MD, DNB, M(ASCP)
Tennessee Department of Health

David Joey Stringer
Dallas County Health and Human Services 

Kelly Wroblewski, MPH 
Committee Liaison

Ashton Blair
Committee Liaison