Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to CIDSC from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 10 to 13, 2015

Updated 12 January 2016

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 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Total
Week ending 8/3/2015 15/3/2015 22/3/2015 29/3/2015  
Influenza A 178 283 124 171 756
Isolation 10 20 5 7 42
DIF * 23 7 4 2 36
PCR 117 232 92 143 584
Other † 28 24 23 19 94
Influenza B 83 125 79 149 436
Isolation 5 10 6 17 38
DIF * 6 9 3 5 23
PCR 67 95 62 120 344
Other † 5 11 8 7 31

* 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 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Total
Week ending 8/3/2015 15/3/2015 22/3/2015 29/3/2015  
Adenovirus* 74 116 81 95 366
Coronavirus 18 30 9 27 84
Parainfluenza† 66 94 105 87 352
Rhinovirus 111 183 149 140 583
RSV 95 115 84 94 388

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 10 to 13, 2015

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 72 106 28 102 41 16 1 366
Coronavirus 16 13 1 16 18 20 84
Influenza A 11 32 16 95 130 238 1 523
Influenza B 11 27 50 147 162 135 2 534
Parainfluenza † 103 56 12 45 57 79 352
Respiratory syncytial virus 142 51 18 45 55 75 2 388
Rhinovirus 220 121 40 69 57 74 2 583

* 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 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Total
Week ending 8/3/2015 15/3/2015 22/3/2015 29/3/2015  
Coxiella burnettii
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 1 1 2
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 13 21 9 43
Legionella sp. 9 3 1 13

* 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 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Total
Week ending 8/3/2015 15/3/2015 22/3/2015 29/3/2015  
Nosocomial 0
Community 7 1 8
Travel abroad 2 2 4
Travel UK 1 1
Total 9 3 1 13
Male 7 2 1 10
Female 2 1 3

Thirteen cases were reported with pneumonia and one case had non-pneumonic infection. Eleven males aged 35 to 87 years and 3 females aged 38 to 67 years. Eight cases had community-acquired infection. Three deaths were reported in males aged 64 and 72.

Five cases were reported with travel association: Switzerland (1), Thailand (1), United Arab Emirates/United Kingdom (2) and United Kingdom (1).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 10 to 13, 2015

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 1 1 2
Cheshire & Merseyside 0
Greater Manchester 1 1
Cumbria & Lancashire 0
Yorkshire & the Humber 0
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 0
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 1 1 2
Wessex 0
Thames Valley 0
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 0
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 1 1
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 0
Anglia & Essex 0
West Midlands 2 1 3
London Integrated Region          
London 3 1 4
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 0
North Wales 0
South East Wales 0
Miscellaneous          
Other 0
Not known 0
Total 8 4 1 13

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 9 issue 12.