Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 31 to 34, 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 31 Week 32 Week 33 Week 34 Total
Week ending 7/8/2016 14/8/2016 21/8/2016 28/8/2016  
Influenza A 17 13 12 16 58
Isolation 1 5 6
DIF * 1 1 1 3
PCR 10 9 10 7 36
Other † 6 3 1 3 13
Influenza B 5 1 1 4 11
Isolation 2 2
DIF *
PCR 2 1 1 1 5
Other † 3 1 4

* 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 31 Week 32 Week 33 Week 34 Total
Week ending 7/8/2016 14/8/2016 21/8/2016 28/8/2016  
Adenovirus* 59 71 68 57 255
Coronavirus 1 3 2 4 10
Parainfluenza† 49 31 41 37 158
Rhinovirus 170 127 98 127 522
RSV 39 46 39 41 165

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 31 to 34, 2016

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 30 57 30 76 41 16 5 255
Coronavirus 2 4 2 2 10
Influenza A 1 2 1 20 17 14 5 60
Influenza B 1 1 8 1 2 13
Parainfluenza † 27 25 11 26 41 28 158
Respiratory syncytial virus 55 33 14 27 15 19 2 165
Rhinovirus 140 96 42 85 72 78 9 522

* 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 31 Week 32 Week 33 Week 34 Total
Week ending 7/8/2016 14/8/2016 21/8/2016 28/8/2016  
Coxiella burnettii 1 1
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 1 1
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 15 12 11 7 45
Legionella sp. 9 5 10 10 34

* 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 31 Week 32 Week 33 Week 34 Total
Week ending 7/8/2016 14/8/2016 21/8/2016 28/8/2016  
Nosocomial 0
Community 4 1 7 3 15
Travel abroad 5 3 2 6 16
Travel UK 1 1 1 3
Total 9 5 10 10 34
Male 9 5 7 5 26
Female 3 5 8

Thirty-four cases were reported with pneumonia. Twenty-six males aged 38-78 years and eight females aged 50-86 years. Fifteen cases had community-acquired infection. One death was reported in a male aged 78 years.

Nineteen cases were reported with travel association: Austria/Czech Republic/Germany (1) France (1), France/Germany (1), France/Italy (1), France/Italy/Spain/United Kingdom (1), Greece (2), Italy (1), Morocco (1), Spain (4), Turkey (2), United Arab Emirates (1) and United Kingdom (3).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 31 to 34, 2016

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 2 2
Cheshire & Merseyside 0
Greater Manchester 0
Cumbria & Lancashire 1 1 2
Yorkshire & the Humber 1 2 3
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 1 1
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 1 1
Wessex 0
Thames Valley 1 1 2
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 1 2 3
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 2 1 3
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 2 2
Anglia & Essex 2 2
West Midlands 3 2 1 6
London Integrated Region          
London 3 1 4
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 1 1
North Wales 0
South East Wales 0
Miscellaneous          
Other 2 2
Not known 0
Total 0 15 16 3 34

This HPR report was published on 2 September 2016.