University Laboratory Contributions to Viral Surveillance in South America

Evidence details the role of academic laboratories in monitoring endemic and emerging viruses across several Latin American countries. The dataset, 18.4 MB in size, was contributed by María José Vásquez-Vidal and published on figshare in March 2026. It documents collaborative networks and methodologies developed during viral outbreaks, including the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Use Cases

• Analyze the number and types of viruses monitored by university laboratories to assess surveillance coverage.
• Map collaborative networks between academic institutions and government agencies using institutional affiliation data.
• Evaluate the timeline of laboratory contributions during specific outbreaks like SARS-CoV-2 using temporal data fields.
• Compare adapted methodologies transferred by academia across different Latin American countries.

Strengths

• Data is openly licensed under CC-BY-4.0, facilitating reuse and sharing.
• Focus on a specific region (South America) provides localized insights into surveillance capacity.

Limitations

• The dataset is relatively small at 18.4 MB, limiting the depth of analysis possible.
• Specific row counts, column names, and sample data are unavailable, obscuring the data's granularity and structure.

Provenance

Source

María José Vásquez-Vidal via figshare.

Collection Method

Documentation and evidence compilation of laboratory activities and collaborative networks.

Time Range

Covers activities up to and including the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic era.

Freshness

Last updated March 2026.

Geography

Several Latin American countries in South America.