+44 330 818 7254In order to fully comprehend and mitigate the effects of emerging zoonotic diseases, this most fundamental information is essential. We suggest that researchers studying host-pathogen interactions adopt vouchering techniques and work with natural history collections to permanently archive host and microbiological samples. Utilizing vetted specimens and associated samples enables large workforce biodiversity scientists to assist in pandemic preparedness and provides both repeatability and extension to host-pathogen studies. We look at a few well-known examples of successful integration of natural history collections with host-pathogen research. In such studies, vouchering, on the other hand is still underutilized. We evaluated vouchering methods utilized in host-pathogen research by microbiologists, such as bacteriologists, parasitologists, and virologists, through an online survey. Microbiological samples are permanently archived by a much larger percentage of respondents than host specimens are archived, and less than half of respondents offer host specimens from which microbiological samples were lethally collected. We offer suggestions for integrating vouchering methods and archiving of microbiological samples into host-pathogen studies to encourage collaborations between microbiologists and natural history collections.
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