Serious-Sample definition problem

[ZachSGold]

Sample type should refer to the type of sample collected (eg saliva, blood, urine, cytology, CSF). Genetic sequencing isn’t a sample type, it is a type of diagnostic test. So if you want both sample type and diagnostic type in the same line (as you are indicating in the definition i) you call it Sample/diagnostic type/test and for each pathogen you should put the sample type and the diagnostic test together (e.g. tracheal aspirate/genetic sequencing). I recommend having them be separate

[ZachSGold]

For the definition of the Sample Type: direct other - you are saying the pathogen was directly identified from a sample taken from any other source, such as a tissue sample. Is that any other than blood? or other than blood and saliva?
Also because you have this combination of sample type and diagnostic test it is kind of confusing because when you say directly identified it implies some sort of PCR or culture or something that is not serology. If you mean both (e.g. in the case of Ngari virus) you should say the pathogen was identified from a sample taken from any other source…. /direct detection through PCR or whatever they used)

[ZachSGold]

This column is supposed to only refer to diagnostic methods, not sample types. It was incorrectly labeled from the onset. It has been changed to diagnostic method.

[ZachSGold]

The problem remains, though, in that we need to make sure each of the values is really referring to a diagnostic test and not just a sample. This means a major review of the data.

[ZachSGold]

We are going to make this an intern project