Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to CIDSC from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 40 to 44

Updated 26 January 2015

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 CIDSC, by week of report

Week Week 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Week 44 Total
Week ending 5/10/2014 12/10/2014 19/10/2014 26/10/2014 2/11/2014  
Influenza A 6 7 6 13 14 46
Isolation 1 1
DIF * 1 2 3
PCR 5 4 5 3 6 23
Other † 3 1 7 8 19
Influenza B 2 1 5 2 4 14
Isolation 2 1 3
DIF *
PCR 2 1 3 1 4 11
Other †

* 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 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Week 44 Total
Week ending 5/10/2014 12/10/2014 19/10/2014 26/10/2014 2/11/2014  
Adenovirus* 35 37 44 33 39 188
Coronavirus 1 1 1 4 7
Parainfluenza† 20 26 32 44 39 161
Rhinovirus 235 218 180 189 195 1017
RSV 22 31 56 81 105 295

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 40 to 44, 2014

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 39 63 10 37 21 14 184
Coronavirus 2 1 4 7
Influenza A 1 2 2 12 15 13 45
Influenza B 5 1 5 2 1 14
Parainfluenza † 44 46 16 26 15 12 159
Respiratory syncytial virus 204 58 7 4 9 9 3 291
Rhinovirus 301 191 67 206 118 119 1002

* 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 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Week 44 Total
Week ending 5/10/2014 12/10/2014 19/10/2014 26/10/2014 2/11/2014  
Coxiella burnettii 1 2 1 4
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 2 3 2 2 2 11
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 13 9 10 10 10 52
Legionella sp. 11 13 6 20 15 65

* 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 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Week 44 Total
Week ending 5/10/2014 12/10/2014 19/10/2014 26/10/2014 2/11/2014  
Nosocomial 1 1 2
Community 1 3 4(1*) 5 3 16
Travel abroad 9 9 2 13(1**) 10 43
Travel UK 1 1 1 1 4
Total 11 13 6 20 15 65
Male 7 7 5 16 10 45
Female 4 6 1 4 5 20

* Non-pneumonic case. ** Onset in 2013.

Sixty-four cases were reported with pneumonia and one case was reported with non-pneumonic infection. Forty-five males aged 24-85 years and 20 females aged 52-95 years. Sixteen cases had community-acquired infection and two cases were reported to be associated with hospital infection.

Forty-seven cases were reported with travel association: Barbados/United Kingdom (1), Croatia (2), Croatia/Montenegro/Italy (1), Croatia/United Kingdom (1), Cyprus (1), France/Italy (1), Greece (4), India (1), Ireland/United Kingdom (1), Italy (4), Mauritius (1), Mexico (2), Portugal (1), Russia/United Arab Emirates (1), Slovakia (1), Spain (12), Spain/United Kingdom (1), Turkey (4), United Arab Emirates (3) and United Kingdom (4).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 40-44/2014

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 1 3 1 5
Cheshire & Merseyside 1 2 1 4
Greater Manchester 3 3
Cumbria & Lancashire 2 2
Yorkshire & the Humber 2 2 4
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 2 2
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 3 (1*) 2 1 6
Wessex 2 3 (1**) 5
Thames Valley 1 1
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 1 3 4
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 4 4
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 1 3 4
Anglia & Essex 2 1 3
West Midlands 1 6 7
London Integrated Region          
London 1 2 3 6
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales
North Wales 1 1 2
South East Wales 2 2
Miscellaneous          
Other 1 1
Not known
Total 2 16 43 65

* Non-pneumonic case. ** Onset in 2013.

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 8 issue 42.