The use of pyrosequencer-generated sequence-signatures to identify the influenza B-lineage and the subclade of the B/Yamataga-lineage viruses from currently circulating human influenza B viruses

These new pyrosequencing and rRT-PCR methods have the potential to aid the rapid identification of influenza B-lineages for surveillance purposes and to increase the available data for bi-annual selection of viruses for updating influenza vaccines.