Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 14 to 17, 2016

Updated 6 January 2017

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 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Total
Week ending 10/4/2016 17/4/2016 24/4/2016 1/5/2016  
Influenza A 378 374 158 125 1035
Isolation 25 9 5 2 41
DIF * 25 30 10 10 75
PCR 278 320 127 102 827
Other † 50 15 16 11 92
Influenza B 400 324 251 198 1173
Isolation 42 21 13 13 89
DIF * 28 36 16 16 96
PCR 302 248 206 163 919
Other † 28 19 16 6 69

* 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 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Total
Week ending 10/4/2016 17/4/2016 24/4/2016 1/5/2016  
Adenovirus* 106 128 84 135 453
Coronavirus 89 74 54 67 284
Parainfluenza† 111 103 92 142 448
Rhinovirus 230 192 150 288 860
RSV 124 87 80 72 363

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 14 to 17, 2016

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 82 126 32 124 62 25 2 453
Coronavirus 37 31 12 36 60 108 284
Influenza A 30 84 27 189 231 286 847
Influenza B 62 126 100 499 201 322 1310
Parainfluenza † 118 102 17 40 72 99 448
Respiratory syncytial virus 94 74 22 74 49 49 1 363
Rhinovirus 269 174 57 123 111 125 1 860

* 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 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Total
Week ending 10/4/2016 17/4/2016 24/4/2016 1/5/2016  
Coxiella burnettii
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 3 3 1 1 8
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 11 17 15 3 46
Legionella sp. 10 3 3 4 20

* 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 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Total
Week ending 10/4/2016 17/4/2016 24/4/2016 1/5/2016  
Nosocomial 0
Community 4 1 2 1 8
Travel abroad 4 2 1 2 9
Travel UK 2 1 3
Total 10 3 3 4 20
Male 7 3 1 2 13
Female 3 2 2 7

Twenty cases were reported with pneumonia. Thirteen males aged 31-88 years and seven females aged 51-84 years. Eight cases had community-acquired infection. One death was reported in an 88 year-old male.

Twelve cases were reported with travel association: Cruise/Germany/Spain (1), Czech Republic (1), India (1), Indonesia (1), Jamaica (1), Morocco (1), Sri Lanka (1), Turkey (1), United Arab Emirates (1) and United Kingdom (3).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 14 to 17, 2016

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 0
Cheshire & Merseyside 0
Greater Manchester 1 1
Cumbria & Lancashire 1 1
Yorkshire & the Humber 1 1 2
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 1 1
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 1 1
Wessex 0
Thames Valley 1 1
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 3 3
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 2 2 4
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 1 1 2
Anglia & Essex 0
West Midlands 2 1 3
London Integrated Region          
London 1 1
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 0
North Wales 0
South East Wales 0
Miscellaneous          
Other 0
Not known 0
Total 0 8 9 3 15

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 10 issue 16.