Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 22 to 25, 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 PHE Colindale, by week of report

Week Week 22 Week 23 Week 24 Week 25 Total
Week ending 5/6/2016 12/6/2016 19/6/2016 26/6/2016  
Influenza A 31 42 11 12 96
Isolation 1 1 2
DIF * 2 1 2 5
PCR 26 39 7 8 80
Other † 3 1 4 1 9
Influenza B 39 52 7 6 104
Isolation 2 1 3 6
DIF * 2 2 4
PCR 34 48 4 5 91
Other † 1 1 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 22 Week 23 Week 24 Week 25 Total
Week ending 5/6/2016 12/6/2016 19/6/2016 26/6/2016  
Adenovirus* 84 103 111 96 394
Coronavirus 13 12 12 5 42
Parainfluenza† 139 144 138 97 518
Rhinovirus 248 246 244 230 968
RSV 66 50 52 41 209

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 18 to 21, 2016

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 67 103 32 110 59 22 1 394
Coronavirus 3 8 1 13 9 8 42
Influenza A 2 2 3 14 22 24 1 68
Influenza B 4 6 2 20 11 15 1 59
Parainfluenza † 137 86 27 62 98 108 518
Respiratory syncytial virus 95 37 19 30 17 11 209
Rhinovirus 332 183 94 136 104 119 968

* 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 22 Week 23 Week 24 Week 25 Total
Week ending 5/6/2016 12/6/2016 19/6/2016 26/6/2016  
Coxiella burnettii 1 1
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 2 2
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 5 9 8 9 31
Legionella sp. 1 12 11 9 33

* 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 22 Week 23 Week 24 Week 25 Total
Week ending 5/6/2016 12/6/2016 19/6/2016 26/6/2016  
Nosocomial 0
Community 1 5 7 2 15
Travel abroad 5 4 7 16
Travel UK 2 2
Total 1 12 11 9 33
Male 1 6 6 6 19
Female 6 5 3 14

Thirty-three cases were reported with pneumonia. Nineteen males aged 41-92 years and 14 females aged 41-94 years. Fifteen cases had community-acquired infection. Three deaths were reported in males aged 62-67 years.

Eighteen cases were reported with travel association: Croatia (1), Cruise/Germany/Italy (1), France (1), Greece (1), Italy (4), Latvia (1), Mexico (1), Portugal/United Kingdom (1), Spain (4), Ukraine (1) and United Kingdom (2).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 22 to 25, 2016

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 1 1
Cheshire & Merseyside 1 1 2
Greater Manchester 1 1
Cumbria & Lancashire 2 2
Yorkshire & the Humber 1 2 3
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 0
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 3 3
Wessex 0
Thames Valley 1 1 2
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 1 1
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 4 2 6
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 0
Anglia & Essex 3 1 4
West Midlands 4 1 5
London Integrated Region          
London 2 1 3
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 0
North Wales 0
South East Wales 0
Miscellaneous          
Other 0
Not known 0
Total 0 15 16 2 33

This HPR report was published on 5 August 2016.