Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to CIDSC from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 14 to 17, 2015

Updated 12 January 2016

Data are recorded by week of report, but include only specimens taken in the last 8 weeks (ie recent specimens).

1. Table 1. Reports of influenza infection made to CIDSC, by week of report

Week Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Total
Week ending 5/4/2015 12/4/2015 19/4/2015 26/4/2015  
Influenza A 87 39 97 62 285
Isolation 6 4 3 4 17
DIF * 1 8 0 1 10
PCR 70 13 85 47 215
Other † 10 14 9 10 43
Influenza B 118 109 194 155 576
Isolation 12 16 8 4 40
DIF * 2 26 26 14 68
PCR 101 58 146 134 439
Other † 3 9 14 3 29

* DIF = Direct Immunofluorescence.

† Other = “Antibody detection - single high titre” or “Method not specified”.

2. Table 2. Respiratory viral detections by any method (culture, direct immunofluorescence, PCR, four-fold rise in paired sera, single high serology titre, genomic, electron microscopy, other method, other method unknown), by week of report

Week Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Total
Week ending 5/4/2015 12/4/2015 19/4/2015 26/4/2015  
Adenovirus* 137 95 217 101 916
Coronavirus 27 23 135 10 279
Parainfluenza† 118 107 269 151 997
Rhinovirus 177 146 352 90 1348
RSV 97 54 127 45 711

* Respiratory samples only.

† Includes parainfluenza types 1, 2, 3, 4 and untyped.

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 14 to 17, 2015

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 142 121 34 161 73 19 550
Coronavirus 36 28 10 39 26 56 195
Influenza A 9 18 5 36 57 62 2 189
Influenza B 31 35 51 207 210 144 2 680
Parainfluenza † 164 103 38 98 101 140 1 645
Respiratory syncytial virus 122 49 17 41 46 48 322
Rhinovirus 283 162 54 105 84 77 765

* Respiratory samples only.

† Includes parainfluenza types 1, 2, 3, 4 and untyped.

4. Table 4. Laboratory reports of infections associated with atypical pneumonia, by week of report

Week Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Total
Week ending 5/4/2015 12/4/2015 19/4/2015 26/4/2015  
Coxiella burnettii
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 1 1
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 15 12 10 4 41
Legionella sp. 9 9 3 21

* Includes Chlamydia Psittaci, Chlamydia Pneumoniae, and Chlamydia sp detected from blood, serum, and respiratory specimens.

5. Table 5. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by week of report

Week Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Total
Week ending 5/4/2015 12/4/2015 19/4/2015 26/4/2015  
Nosocomial 1 1
Community 4 6 2 12
Travel abroad 3 1 4
Travel UK 1 2 1 4
Total 9 9 21
Male 7 6 3 16
Female 2 3 5

Twenty one cases were reported with pneumonia. Sixteen males aged 38 to 88 years and 5 females aged 65 to 83 years. Twelve cases had community-acquired infection. One death was reported in a female aged 67.

Eight cases were reported with travel association: Bulgaria/United Kingdom (1), France (1), Spain (1), Sri Lanka (1) and United Kingdom (4).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 14 to 17, 2015

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 1 1
Cheshire & Merseyside 0
Greater Manchester 1 1
Cumbria & Lancashire 1 1
Yorkshire & the Humber 4 1 1 6
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 1 1
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 1 1
Wessex 0
Thames Valley 0
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 1 1
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 2 2
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 1 1 2
Anglia & Essex 1 1
West Midlands 1 1 2
London Integrated Region          
London 1 1
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 1 1
North Wales 0
South East Wales 0
Miscellaneous          
Other 0
Not known 0
Total 1 12 4 4 21

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 9 issue 15.