Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 9 to 13, 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 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Total
Week ending 6/3/2016 13/3/20165 20/3/2016 27/3/2016 3/4/2016  
Influenza A 722 809 782 529 503 3345
Isolation 60 31 37 72 28 228
DIF * 27 21 84 64 45 241
PCR 575 706 605 357 393 2636
Other † 60 51 56 36 37 240
Influenza B 147 225 324 370 427 1493
Isolation 11 15 31 49 44 150
DIF * 8 11 47 45 33 144
PCR 121 187 229 262 319 1118
Other † 7 12 17 14 31 81

* 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 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Total
Week ending 6/3/2016 13/3/20165 20/3/2016 27/3/2016 3/4/2016  
Adenovirus* 106 95 113 100 122 536
Coronavirus 138 125 142 119 75 599
Parainfluenza† 72 77 54 83 84 370
Rhinovirus 253 206 257 225 223 1164
RSV 164 132 158 125 130 709

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 9 to 13, 2016

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 101 166 46 135 57 31 536
Coronavirus 89 84 35 95 104 192 599
Influenza A 210 457 186 1077 1213 1047 1 4191
Influenza B 92 199 318 843 250 359 1 2062
Parainfluenza † 86 87 16 40 63 78 370
Respiratory syncytial virus 162 102 54 144 126 120 1 709
Rhinovirus 321 232 109 178 152 171 1 1164

* 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 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Total
Week ending 6/3/2016 13/3/20165 20/3/2016 27/3/2016 3/4/2016  
Coxiella burnettii 1 1
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 2 2 2 1 7
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 16 23 21 9 8 77
Legionella sp. 5 4 1 5 15

* 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 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Total
Week ending 6/3/2016 13/3/20165 20/3/2016 27/3/2016 3/4/2016  
Nosocomial 0
Community 5 3 1 3 12
Travel abroad 2 2
Travel UK 1 1
Total 5 4 1 0 5 15
Male 4 1 4 9
Female 1 4 1 6

Fifteen cases were reported with pneumonia: one male aged 43 – 78 years and six females aged 34 – 81 years. Twelve cases had community-acquired infection. One death was reported in 74 year-old female.

Three cases were reported with travel association: Cambodia/Thailand (1), United Kingdom (1) and the United States of America (1).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 9 to 13, 2016

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 1 1
Cheshire & Merseyside 1 1
Greater Manchester 1 1
Cumbria & Lancashire 0
Yorkshire & the Humber 1 1
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 1 1 2
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 1 1
Wessex 0
Thames Valley 1 1
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 0
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 1 1
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 1 1 2
Anglia & Essex 0
West Midlands 2 2
London Integrated Region          
London 2 2
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 0
North Wales 0
South East Wales 0
Miscellaneous          
Other 0
Not known 0
Total 0 12 2 1 15

* Non-pneumonic case

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 10 issue 14.