Abstract
One of the problems in influenza diagnostic studies is that of interpreting results obtained in one laboratory in terms of those obtained in another laboratory. Obviously, this difficulty could be eliminated by common use of a standard method; but it is the opinion of the Committee that acceptance of a standardized procedure is unlikely at this time. However, it is the general opinion that some of the difficulty can be eliminated by use of a procedure of reference; in that way each laboratory would be free to use its own method and yet be able to evaluate the results of that method in terms of the reference test. The procedure proposed has been reviewed by workers most active in the field in this country and in Europe; it is proposed as the reference test for laboratories engaged in the influenza programs of both the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board and the World Health Organization.
Footnotes
The original committee was formed by Dr. Thomas Francis, Jr., Director, Commission on Influenza, Armed Forces Epidemiological Board; and included Doctors A. E.Feller (for the Commission on Acute Respiratory Diseases); Ross L. Gauld (for the Department of Virus and Rickettsial Diseases, Army Medical Center); Gordon Meiklejohn, Jonas E. Salk, and Thomas P. Magill, Chairman (for the Commission on Influenza).
Subsequently, the Procedure agreed upon by the original Committee was presented at a meeting which was held in London, July 1949, under the chairmanship of Doctor C. H. Andrewes of the World Influenza Centre of the W. H. O., —and which was attended by Doctors C. M. Chu (China); P. von Magnus (Denmark); J. Mulder (The Netherlands); M. Van den Ende (South Africa); C. H. Andrewes, W. J. Elford, L. Hoyle, F. O. Mac-Callum, and C. H. Stuart-Harris (United Kingdom); T. Francis, Jr., and T. P. Magill (United States). The Procedure, somewthat revised, was accepted by those present as the Procedure of Reference in influenza diagnostic studies for use in laboratories participating in the World Health Organization influenza program.
