Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 36 to 39, 2015

Updated 12 January 2016

Data are recorded by week of report, but include only specimens taken in the last eight weeks (ie recent specimens).

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

Week Week 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Total
Week ending 6/9/2015 13/9/2015 20/9/2015 27/9/2015  
INFLUENZA A 3 4 17 8 32
Isolation 1 1
DIF *
PCR 2 2 5 7 16
Other † 1 2 12 15
INFLUENZA B 3 2 4 3 12
Isolation
DIF * 1 1
PCR 2 2 1 3 8
Other † 3 3

* 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 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Total
Week ending 6/9/2015 13/9/2015 20/9/2015 27/9/2015  
Adenovirus* 37 42 35 63 177
Coronavirus 2 1 2 1 6
Parainfluenza† 24 37 35 51 147
Rhinovirus 128 133 241 313 815
RSV 25 24 38 67 154

* Respiratory samples only

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 36 to 39, 2015

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 25 42 18 65 16 11 177
Coronavirus 1 1 1 1 2 6
Influenza A 3 1 2 8 15 6 35
Influenza B 2 2 3 2 4 13
Parainfluenza † 30 36 12 14 31 24 147
Respiratory syncytial virus 71 28 9 22 15 9 154
Rhinovirus 238 170 67 143 113 83 1 815

* 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 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Total
Week ending 6/9/2015 13/9/2015 20/9/2015 27/9/2015  
Coxiella burnettii
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 1 1 2
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 7 3 3 2 15
Legionella sp. 15 11 18 10 54

* 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 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Total
Week ending 6/9/2015 13/9/2015 20/9/2015 27/9/2015  
Nosocomial 1 1
Community 7 6 9 3 25
Travel abroad 7 4 7 (1*) 4 (1*) 22
Travel UK 1 1 2 2 6
Total 15 11 18 10 54
Male 13 8 14 8 43
Female 2 3 4 2 11

Fifty-two cases were reported with pneumonia and two had non-pneumonic infection. Forty-three males aged 33 - 89 years and eleven females aged 44 - 85 years. Twenty-five cases had community-acquired infection and one case was reported to be associated with a hospital/healthcare facility.

Twenty-eight cases were reported with travel association: Bulgaria (3), France (3), France/United Kingdom (1), Greece (2), Italy (4), Spain (3), Spain/United Kingdom (1), Thailand (1), United Arab Emirates (1), United Kingdom (6) and United States of America (3).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 36 to 39, 2015

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 1 3 (1*) 4
Cheshire & Merseyside 2 1 3
Greater Manchester 1 1 2
Cumbria & Lancashire 1 1 2
Yorkshire & the Humber 1 3 (1*) 4
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 0
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 2 2
Wessex 0
Thames Valley 1 1 2
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 1 1 2 3 7
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 1 1 2
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 1 1
Anglia & Essex 0
West Midlands 7 3 10
London Integrated Region          
London 6 2 8
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 1 1
North Wales 0
South East Wales 1 1
Miscellaneous          
Other 1 1 2
Not known 2 1 3
Total 1 25 22 6 54

* Non-pneumonic case

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 9 issue 35.