Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 32 to 35, 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 32 Week 33 Week 34 Week 35 Total
Week ending 9/8/2015 16/8/2015 23/8/2015 30/8/2015  
Influenza A 10 6 4 5 25
Isolation 3 3
DIF * 1 1 2
PCR 1 2 2 2 7
Other † 6 3 2 2 13
Influenza B 4 4 2 10
Isolation
DIF * 1 1
PCR 1 3 2 6
Other † 2 1 3

* 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 32 Week 33 Week 34 Week 35 Total
Week ending 9/8/2015 16/8/2015 23/8/2015 30/8/2015  
Adenovirus* 62 80 59 45 246
Coronavirus 2 2 4 1 9
Parainfluenza† 71 54 44 49 218
Rhinovirus 188 168 119 112 587
RSV 40 92 26 24 182

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 32 to 35, 2015

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 27 44 15 96 46 18 246
Coronavirus 1 7 1 9
Influenza A 1 3 10 12 5 1 32
Influenza B 2 2 3 4 1 12
Parainfluenza † 53 47 12 24 45 38 219
Respiratory syncytial virus 63 36 11 36 16 20 182
Rhinovirus 172 126 56 95 76 63 588

* 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 32 Week 33 Week 34 Week 35 Total
Week ending 9/8/2015 16/8/2015 23/8/2015 30/8/2015  
Coxiella burnettii
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 4 2 6
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 7 8 7 5 27
Legionella sp. 9 18 11 11 49

* 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 32 Week 33 Week 34 Week 35 Total
Week ending 9/8/2015 16/8/2015 23/8/2015 30/8/2015  
Nosocomial 1 1 2
Community 3 6 4 5 18
Travel abroad 1 10 4 6 21
Travel UK 5 1 2 8
Total 9 18 11 11 49
Male 8 16 8 7 39
Female 1 2 3 4 10

Forty-nine cases were reported with pneumonia. Thirty-nine males aged 35 – 86 years and 10 females aged 47 to 82 years. Eighteen cases had community-acquired infection and two cases were reported to be associated with hospital/healthcare facilities. One death was reported in a male aged 85 years.

Twenty-nine cases were reported with travel association: Bulgaria (3), Cyprus (1), France (1), France/Spain/United Kingdom (1), Greece (2), Italy (1), Italy/United Kingdom (1), Kosovo (1), Lithuania (1), Spain (6), Switzerland (1), Thailand (1), United Arab Emirates (1) and the United Kingdom (8).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 32 to 35, 2015

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 3 3
Cheshire & Merseyside 1 3 4
Greater Manchester 1 2 3
Cumbria & Lancashire 0
Yorkshire & the Humber 1 1 1 3
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 1 1
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 3 2 5
Wessex 2 2
Thames Valley 0
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 1 1
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 0
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 1 1 2
Anglia & Essex 2 2
West Midlands 2 2 4 8
London Integrated Region          
London 3 3 2 8
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 1 1
North Wales 1 1
South East Wales 1 1
Miscellaneous          
Other 1 3 4
Not known 0
Total 2 18 21 8 49

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 9 issue 31.