Adapting the mobile laboratory to the changing needs of the Ebolavirus epidemic

The current Ebolavirus disease (EVD) epidemic in West Africa has now been running for >1 year and has been an international health emergency for >6 months. As the weekly number of new cases falls, the World Health Organization is preparing its response to the final stages of the epidemic. The final totals will exceed 20,000 cases and 8000 deaths. An ability to adapt disease countermeasures including laboratory support to the changing epidemiology of EVD has become a matter of urgency. This article considers the planning, development and modification of a flexible microbiology laboratory response, and describes logistic and operational considerations for clinical and public health microbiologists.