Towards Practical Multimodal Hospital Outbreak Detection

ArXi:2603.20536v1 Announce Type: new Rapid identification of outbreaks in hospitals is essential for controlling pathogens with epidemic potential. Although whole genome sequencing (WGS) remains the gold standard in outbreak investigations, its substantial costs and turnaround times limit its feasibility for routine surveillance, especially in less-equipped facilities. We explore three modalities as rapid alternatives: matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, antimicrobial resistance (AR) patterns, and electronic health records.