A survey-based assessment of United States clinical laboratory response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak.

Context: The recent outbreak of pandemic influenza created enormous economic, logistical, and analytical challenges for clinical laboratories. Laboratory response represented a critical element in the care of affected patients, but little has been published regarding this aspect of the pandemic.

Objective: To assess the overall response of clinical diagnostic laboratories across the United States to the initial phase of the 2009 H1N1 influenza A pandemic.