Detection and characterization of influenza viruses

The Influenza Division (ID) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is responsible for the detection and characterization of influenza viruses for the purposes of disease surveillance and vaccine strain selection. The ID is also responsible for influenza outbreak investigations, seasonal vaccine strain selections, and vaccine effectiveness studies. There are often situations where the influenza laboratories are not capable of completing research projects due to a significant outbreak or emergence of a new virus subtype thus requiring a shift of testing priorities. In these cases, Hemagglutinin Inhibition (HAI) assays, microneutralization (MN) assays, Sanger gene sequencing, and Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing for vaccine strain selection and effectiveness studies need to be outsourced to publish study results in a timely manner. These activities in the contract will also serve as a vehicle for influenza surge testing when CDC laboratories are overwhelmed with other testing demands.