One of the great joys of editing this latest version of Laboratory Diagnosis of Viral Infections has been learning more about the original editor, Dr. Edwin H. Lennette. Although I never had the privilege of meeting Ed, the stories and anecdotes cheerfully offered by his many friends and colleagueshavemademefeelasifIknewhim.Atthesametime,thishaspresentedaproblem— totrytomeettheimpossiblyhighbarEdsetasaneditorwhoalsohadadistinguishedcareeras ascientistanddiagnostician.AlthoughitwouldbefutiletotrytofillEd’sshoes,Ihopethatthis text fulfills the promise to inform the field he loved so well.