Influenza viruses are the causative agent of influenza infection, an acute highly contagious respiratory illness that each year results in high levels of morbidity and mortality.  The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) Laboratory routinely conducts testing of seasonal influenza A and influenza B viruses from healthcare providers from across the State that are widely circulating in the United States. Statewide influenza monitoring by the Maryland Department of Health is important because it allows for a better understanding of viruses that are currently circulating in our communities, the existence of antiviral drug resistance and in rare instances identifies newly emerging influenza viruses that can lead to pandemics as was the case in with the emergence of the influenza A H1N1 virus in 2009. Additionally, since 2003 two avian influenza A viruses (H5N1) and (H7N1) have emerged in Asia that sporadically cause serve illnesses in patients with direct contact with poultry but to date have demonstrated limited sustained human to human transmissibility. These newly emerging avian viruses have the potential to be highly virulent and could evolve into strains that could be transmitted from human to human. As a result, the Maryland Department of Health has the ability to test for Influenza A/H5 (Asian lineage) and Influenza A/H7 (Eurasian Lineage) for travelers meeting the case definition who are returning from locations where these avian viruses circulate.  For more information regarding novel avian influenza infection of humans please visit the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/​