Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to CIDSC from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 6 to 9, 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 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Total
Week ending 8/2/2015 15/2/2015 22/2/2015 1/3/2015  
Influenza A 425 270 406 344 1445
Isolation 27 6 22 18 73
DIF * 106 36 18 33 193
PCR 6 7 6 10 29
Other † 221 211 297 239 968
Influenza B 71 17 69 54 211
Isolation 28 40 60 84 212
DIF * 2 10 6 18
PCR 21 34 48 66 169
Other † 1 4 5

* 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 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Total
Week ending 8/2/2015 15/2/2015 22/2/2015 1/3/2015  
Adenovirus* 75 102 99 86 362
Coronavirus 25 68 61 42 196
Parainfluenza† 40 83 99 69 291
Rhinovirus 177 279 143 158 757
RSV 161 157 191 106 615

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 6 to 9, 2015

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 68 125 33 93 30 12 1 362
Coronavirus 50 46 9 36 22 31 2 196
Influenza A 66 82 91 343 297 649 1528
Influenza B 4 8 20 88 67 60 1 248
Parainfluenza † 83 77 21 19 34 57 291
Respiratory syncytial virus 297 44 14 33 74 100 5 567
Rhinovirus 320 159 56 84 106 76 4 805

* 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 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Total
Week ending 8/2/2015 15/2/2015 22/2/2015 1/3/2015  
Coxiella burnettii
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 2 1 1 4
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 23 25 16 3 67
Legionella sp. 8 5 5 18

* 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 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Total
Week ending 8/2/2015 15/2/2015 22/2/2015 1/3/2015  
Nosocomial
Community 6 2 2 (1*) 10
Travel abroad 1 2 3 6
Travel UK 1 1 2
Total 8 5 5 18
Male 7 2 2 11
Female 1 3 3 7

* Non-pneumonic case.

Seventeen cases were reported with pneumonia and one case had non-pneumonic infection. Eleven males aged 45 to 85 years and seven females aged 48 to 84 years. Ten cases had community-acquired infection. Three deaths were reported in an 84-year-old female and two males aged 76 and 85.

Eight cases were reported with travel association: China/Thailand (1), Egypt/United Kingdom (1), Mauritius/United Kingdom (1), South Africa (1), Spain (1), United Arab Emirates/United Kingdom (1) and United Kingdom (2).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 6 to 9, 2015

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East
Cheshire & Merseyside 1 1
Greater Manchester
Cumbria & Lancashire 1 1
Yorkshire & the Humber 1 1
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 1 (1*) 1
Wessex 1 1
Thames Valley 1 1 2
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 1 1
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 3 1 1 5
Anglia & Essex
West Midlands 1 1
London Integrated Region          
London 3 1 4
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales
North Wales
South East Wales
Miscellaneous          
Other
Not known
Total 10 6 2 18

* Non-pneumonic case.

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 9 issue 8.