Pandemic influenza testing at the coalface: time for reassessment?
Australian federal and state governments were advised several years ago that an influenza pandemic would overwhelm Australian public reference laboratories. It was proposed at the time that currently underused capacity in the private sector be used to enhance pandemic responses. The current outbreak of pandemic influenza has confirmed the predictions of advisors from the private sector. Future official pandemic plans should be adjusted to take into account these observations.
Beaman
Miles H
MH
Department of Microbiology, Western Diagnostic Pathology, Perth, WA, Australia. miles.beaman@symbionhealth.com
Leung
Michael J
MJ
D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006285:Health Planning; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055872:Surge Capacity; D013997:Time Factors