Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 1 to 4, 2016

Updated 6 January 2017

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

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

Week Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Total
Week ending 10/1/2016 17/1/2016 24/1/2016 31/1/2016    
Influenza A 228 180 325 465 1197  
Isolation 27 21 18 58 124  
DIF * 38 12 18 54 122  
PCR 132 128 267 318 845  
Other † 31 19 22 34 106  
Influenza B 18 23 31 26 98  
Isolation 2 2 4  
DIF * 1 3 5 5 14  
PCR 8 16 19 19 62  
Other † 9 4 5 0 18  

* 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 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Total
Week ending 10/1/2016 17/1/2016 24/1/2016 31/1/2016  
Adenovirus* 83 83 80 82 328
Coronavirus 35 53 40 83 211
Parainfluenza† 98 95 59 61 313
Rhinovirus 269 197 232 295 993
RSV 640 390 345 251 1626

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 1 to 4, 2016

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 58 82 31 85 51 20 1 328
Coronavirus 36 30 16 36 38 55 211
Influenza A 86 176 75 421 419 232 3 1412
Influenza B 3 5 9 45 22 18 102
Parainfluenza † 70 47 20 35 54 87 313
Respiratory syncytial virus 816 173 55 148 188 244 2 1626
Rhinovirus 333 187 74 118 122 158 1 993

* 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 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Total
Week ending 10/1/2016 17/1/2016 24/1/2016 31/1/2016  
Coxiella burnettii 1 1
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 1 1 1 3
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 25 30 30 22 107
Legionella sp. 14 2 10 6 32

* 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 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Total
Week ending 10/1/2016 17/1/2016 24/1/2016 31/1/2016  
Nosocomial 0
Community 7 8 3 18
Travel abroad 4 2 1 3 10
Travel UK 3 1 4
Total 14 2 10 6 32
Male 10 1 8 4 23
Female 4 1 2 2 9

Thirty-two cases were reported with pneumonia. Twenty-three males aged 35-95 years and nine females aged 35-78 years. Eighteen cases had community-acquired infection. Four deaths were reported in three males aged 45-87 years and a female aged 62 years.

Fourteen cases were reported with travel association: Belgium (1), Indonesia/Singapore (1), Malta/United Kingdom (1), Malaysia/Singapore/Thailand (1), Spain (1), United Arab Emirates (5) and United Kingdom (4).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 1 to 4, 2016

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 2 2
Cheshire & Merseyside 1 1
Greater Manchester 0
Cumbria & Lancashire 0
Yorkshire & the Humber 2 1 1 4
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 0
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 2 2
Wessex 1 1
Thames Valley 1 1
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 2 2
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 1 1
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 0
Anglia & Essex 1 1
West Midlands 7 2 9
London Integrated Region          
London 3 1 4
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 1 1 2
North Wales 0
South East Wales 1 1
Miscellaneous          
Other 1 1
Not known 0
Total 0 18 10 4 32

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 10 issue 5.