Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to CIDSC from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 2 to 5, 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).

Table 1. Reports of influenza infection made to CIDSC, by week of report

Week Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Total
Week ending 11/1/2015 18/1/2015 25/1/2015 1/2/2015  
Influenza A 847 581 507 606 2541
Isolation 96 53 45 44 238
DIF * 1 1 2
PCR 666 396 362 430 1854
Other † 84 131 100 132 447
Influenza B 25 17 19 21 82
Isolation 2 1 2 5
DIF *
PCR 21 10 13 20 64
Other † 2 6 4 1 13

* DIF = Direct Immunofluorescence.

† Other = “Antibody detection - single high titre” or “Method not specified”.

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 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Total
Week ending 11/1/2015 18/1/2015 25/1/2015 1/2/2015  
Adenovirus* 71 64 108 119 362
Coronavirus 42 23 45 96 206
Parainfluenza† 91 61 50 94 296
Rhinovirus 205 138 201 298 842
RSV 627 392 459 317 1795

* Respiratory samples only.

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

Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 2 to 5, 2015

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 92 93 25 85 46 21 362
Coronavirus 64 39 10 28 23 41 1 206
Influenza A 142 134 122 611 578 1304 4 2895
Influenza B 3 1 8 21 27 29 89
Parainfluenza † 63 57 14 20 48 92 2 296
Respiratory syncytial virus 1036 182 37 94 151 288 8 1796
Rhinovirus 308 136 50 103 103 141 1 842

* Respiratory samples only.

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

Table 4. Laboratory reports of infections associated with atypical pneumonia, by week of report

Week Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Total
Week ending 11/1/2015 18/1/2015 25/1/2015 1/2/2015  
Coxiella burnettii
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 1 2 3
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 26 18 22 6 72
Legionella sp. 5 5 5 15

* Includes Chlamydia psittaci, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Chlamydia sp detected from blood, serum, and respiratory specimens.

Table 5. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by week of report

Week Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Total
Week ending 11/1/2015 18/1/2015 25/1/2015 1/2/2015  
Nosocomial 1 1
Community 3 (1*) 4 (1*) 2 (2*) 9
Travel abroad 1 1 (1*) 2 (1*) 4
Travel UK 1 (1*) 1
Total 5 5 5 15
Male 4 4 3 11
Female 1 1 2 4

* Cases with onset of symptoms in 2015.

Fifteen cases were reported with pneumonia. Eleven males aged 43 to 91 years and four females aged 54 to 67 years. Nine cases had community-acquired infection and one case was reported to be associated with hospital infection. Three deaths were reported in a 63- year-old female and two males aged 72 and 76 years.

Five cases were reported with travel association: Canada (1), China (1), Thailand (1), Turkey (1) and United Kingdom (1).

Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 2 to 5, 2015

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East
Cheshire & Merseyside
Greater Manchester 1 (1*) 1
Cumbria & Lancashire 1 1
Yorkshire & the Humber
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 1 1
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire
Wessex
Thames Valley
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 1 (1*) 1
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 1 (1*) 1
South Midlands & Hertfordshire
Anglia & Essex 2 (2*) 2
West Midlands 1 (1*) 1
London Integrated Region          
London 1 2 (1*) 3
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 1 1
North Wales
South East Wales 3 3
Miscellaneous          
Other
Not known
Total 1 9 4 1 15

* Cases with onset of symptoms in 2015.

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 9 issue 4.