title: Improving influenza virus detection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Influenza virus infections cause significant morbidity, and the unique ability of these viruses to undergo antigenic drift and shift means that it is critical for current laboratory assays to keep pace with these changes for accurate diagnosis. New subtypes have the potential to evolve into pandemics hence accurate virus subtyping is also essential.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this article, the authors review the current techniques available to detect influenza virus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The biggest gains in improving on influenza diagnostics may lie in reappraising our current approach and optimizing all existing steps in influenza detection: pre-analytical, analytical, post-analytical. In addition, we must foster close collaboration between governments, surveillance networks and frontline diagnostic laboratories, and utilize advances in information technology to facilitate these interactions and to disseminate crucial information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Sydney South West Pathology Service -Liverpool , Locked Bag 7090, Liverpool BC, NSW, 1871 , Australia +0061 2 9828 5124 ; +0061 2 9828 5129 ; vanhal@gotalk.net.au.
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Wei-Yuen
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Sebastiaan J van
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hal