The discovery of genome sequencing by Fredrick Sanger and his team of researchers in the early 1970s gave rise to one of the most empirical research methods that ever existed. This revolutionary research technique allowed scientists to finally codify organisms down to their most basic properties; helping enormously in our understanding of the pathways, reactions and functions of organisms. The technique involves the analysis of the DNA of an organism's genome and therefore of all the genes that compose it. The DNA of an organism is passed through an electrophoretic gel and the sequence produced is taken up and interpreted by a computer program to then present the nucleotide sequence of the organism. Genome sequencing of pathogenic organisms has led to enormous progress in the fight against infectious diseases in human and veterinary medicine; three particularly virulent infectious diseases in the veterinary world are bluetongue virus, equine bluetongue and bovine tuberculosis (Goodhead, 2012). Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an infectious disease of ruminants and camelids that causes breathing difficulties, loss of muscle condition and death in newborn lambs. and reduced infertility (Caporale & Giovannini, 2010). The virus is transmitted through the bite of Culicoid midges and so this explains the vast global spread of the virus and the leading theory as to how the UK first became infected in 2006. The BT virus is made up of 10 linear segments a double-stranded RNA, resulting in a genome of 19201 bp in length (Maan et al., 2008). Each of the 10 segments was sequenced, and in segments 10 and 7, sequencing revealed the existence of vector-virus specificity. Sequencing of the 26 known serotypes of BTV showed significant variations between...... half of the document ...... the genomes of the athogen and the host are being sequenced, more in-depth scientific research is underway in areas of pathogenesis, epidemiology and susceptibility that were far from possible approximately 30 years ago (Fournier et al., 2007). An increased understanding of these factors leading to infectious diseases has led to a significant beneficial effect on the management of infectious diseases; whether through the development of vaccinations, changes in welfare and husbandry, or blocks of transmission (Morens & Fauci, 2013). With technologies constantly developing, the cost and feasibility of sequencing entire genomes will be substantially reduced to then enable the sequencing of individual organisms to facilitate further understanding of hereditary or congenital diseases. This ever-growing field of research will expand exponentially in the future; change human and veterinary medicine for the better.