Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 48 to 52, 2016

Updated 6 January 2017

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 48 Week 49 Week 50 Week 51 Week 52 Total
Week ending 4/12/2016 11/12/2016 18/12/2016 25/12/2016 1/1/2017  
Influenza A 74 145 260 475 530 1484
Isolation 13 17 22 42 55 149
DIF * 4 7 15 39 60 125
PCR 55 118 201 369 388 1131
Other † 2 3 22 25 27 79
Influenza B 4 7 7 8 9 35
Isolation 1 1
DIF * 1 1 2 2 3 9
PCR 2 6 4 6 6 24
Other † 1 1

* 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 48 Week 49 Week 50 Week 51 Week 52 Total
Week ending 4/12/2016 11/12/2016 18/12/2016 25/12/2016 1/1/2017  
Adenovirus* 87 76 69 65 67 364
Coronavirus 26 27 39 32 42 166
Parainfluenza† 77 96 67 80 88 408
Rhinovirus 360 369 317 378 248 1672
RSV 869 1036 898 818 650 4271

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 48 to 52, 2016

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 91 89 29 72 50 33 364
Coronavirus 34 19 4 27 35 47 166
Influenza A 51 59 83 402 381 860 2 1838
Influenza B 1 8 7 10 8 9 1 44
Parainfluenza † 108 71 19 56 69 85 408
Respiratory syncytial virus 2490 533 93 204 351 599 1 4271
Rhinovirus 590 261 106 225 217 273 1672

* 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 48 Week 49 Week 50 Week 51 Week 52 Total
Week ending 4/12/2016 11/12/2016 18/12/2016 25/12/2016 1/1/2017  
Coxiella burnettii 1 1
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 2 3 3 1 9
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 13 19 16 14 4 66
Legionella sp. 7 4 7 9 4 31

* 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 48 Week 49 Week 50 Week 51 Week 52 Total
Week ending 4/12/2016 11/12/2016 18/12/2016 25/12/2016 1/1/2017  
Nosocomial 0
Community 3 2 3 6 3 17
Travel abroad 3 2 4 2 11
Travel UK 1 1 1 3
Total 7 4 7 9 4 31
Male 5 2 5 4 3 19
Female 2 2 2 5 1 12

Thirty-one cases were reported with pneumonia. Nineteen males aged 21 - 70 years and 12 females aged 28 - 90 years. Seventeen cases had community-acquired infection.

Fourteen cases were reported with travel association: Cape Verde (1), Cruise/ United Arab Emirates (1), France (1), Italy (1), Jordon (1), Thailand (1), United Arab Emirates (5) and United Kingdom (3).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 48 to 52, 2016

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 1 1
Cheshire & Merseyside 1 1
Greater Manchester 3 3
Cumbria & Lancashire 0
Yorkshire & the Humber 1 1 2
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 1 1
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 1 1
Wessex 0
Thames Valley 0
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 3 1 4
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 1 1
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 3 3
Anglia & Essex 2 1 3
West Midlands 2 2
London Integrated Region          
London 1 2 1 4
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 1 1
North Wales 2 2
South East Wales 1 1
Miscellaneous          
Other 0
Not known 2 2
Total 0 10 21 2 33

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 11 issue 1.