A first version of the influenza assay (Abbott Molecular, Des Plaines, IL, USA) performed on the T5000 instrument (Ibis/Abbott, Carlsbad, CA, USA) was validated for influenza A (including A(H3N2) and H5N1) and B isolates collected between 1999 and 2006 [13] . Sensitivity and specificity were estimated to reach 97% and 98%, respectively. ESI-MS analysis was also capable of identifying viral reassortments or co-infections (i.e., a mixed population). More recently, this assay reported a sensitivity and specificity of 94.1% and 97%, respectively, for A(H1N1)pdm detection [11] . Since then, the assay has been redesigned and updated. This "PLEX-ID/Flu assay" includes one pan-influenza primer set targeting the PB1 segment, five pan-influenza-A primer pairs targeting individually NP, M1, PA, PB2 and NS1 genes, one pan-influenza B primer pair targeting the PB2 segment, and two additional primer pairs targeting two surface antigens HA (H1) and NA (N1) genes [12] .