Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 40 to 44, 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 PHE, by week of report

Week Week 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Week 44 Total
Week ending 4/10/2015 11/10/2015 18/10/2015 25/10/2015 1/11/2015  
Influenza A 12 31 8 15 17 83
Isolation 3 1 1 1 2 8
DIF * 1 8 1 0 0 10
PCR 7 14 6 6 11 44
Other † 1 8 0 8 4 21
Influenza B 1 9 6 9 10 35
Isolation 1 1
DIF * 1 1 2
PCR 1 5 6 7 19
Other † 7 1 3 2 13

* 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 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Week 44 Total
Week ending 4/10/2015 11/10/2015 18/10/2015 25/10/2015 1/11/2015  
Adenovirus* 29 45 66 59 59 258
Coronavirus 5 1 5 10 8 29
Parainfluenza† 70 68 68 104 124 434
Rhinovirus 366 312 260 331 276 1545
RSV 58 70 82 145 203 558

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 40 to 44, 2015

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 46 57 21 75 40 18 1 258
Coronavirus 3 4 1 4 11 6 29
Influenza A 5 12 6 31 33 26 113
Influenza B 2 4 2 11 12 2 35
Parainfluenza † 112 116 52 52 45 56 1 434
Respiratory syncytial virus 323 95 33 40 39 25 3 558
Rhinovirus 419 259 122 268 247 228 2 1545

* 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 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Week 44 Total
Week ending 4/10/2015 11/10/2015 18/10/2015 25/10/2015 1/11/2015  
Coxiella burnettii 0
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 1 1 2
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 9 9 14 18 5 55
Legionella sp. 3 3 1 2 9

* 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 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Week 44 Total
Week ending 4/10/2015 11/10/2015 18/10/2015 25/10/2015 1/11/2015  
Nosocomial 2 2
Community 2 2 4 4 3 15
Travel abroad 7 11 1 6 5 30
Travel UK 2 1 1 4
Total 11 15 6 11 8 51
Male 5 12 4 10 7 38
Female 6 3 2 1 1 13

Fifty-one cases were reported with pneumonia. Thirty-eight males aged 30 - 91 years and 13 females aged 50 - 80 years. Fifteen cases had community-acquired infection and two cases were reported to be associated with a hospital/healthcare facility. Two deaths were reported in males aged 63 - 67 years.

Thirty-four cases were reported with travel association: Croatia (1), Cuba (1), France (1), France/Germany (1), France/Italy (1), Greece (6), Italy (3), Portugal (3), Spain (3), Spain/United Kingdom (1), Sri Lanka (1), Switzerland (1), Thailand (1), Turkey (3), United Arab Emirates (1), United Kingdom (4) and United States of America (2).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 40 to 44/2015

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 3 1 4
Cheshire & Merseyside 2 2
Greater Manchester 3 3
Cumbria & Lancashire 0
Yorkshire & the Humber 2 5 7
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 1 1
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 1 1 2
Wessex 1 3 4
Thames Valley 1 1
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 3 4 2 9
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 1 1 2
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 1 1 2
Anglia & Essex 1 1
West Midlands 3 2 5
London Integrated Region          
London 1 1 2 4
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 1 1
North Wales 1 1
South East Wales 1 1
Miscellaneous          
Other 1– 1
Not known 0
Total 2 15 30 4 51

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 9 issue 39.