Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 35 to 39, 2016

Updated 6 January 2017

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 PHE, by week of report

Week Week 35 Week 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Total
Week ending 4/9/2016 11/9/2016 18/9/2016 25/9/2016 2/10/2016  
Influenza A 14 22 9 18 16 79
Isolation
DIF * 1 1
PCR 13 14 8 15 15 65
Other † 1 8 3 1 13
Influenza B 3 5 4 3 15
Isolation 1 1
DIF *
PCR 2 1 4 3 10
Other † 4 4

* 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 35 Week 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Total
Week ending 4/9/2016 11/9/2016 18/9/2016 25/9/2016 2/10/2016  
Adenovirus* 64 45 46 51 40 246
Coronavirus 3 3 1 5 3 15
Parainfluenza† 42 28 26 39 29 164
Rhinovirus 141 121 128 256 326 972
RSV 42 40 43 36 45 206

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 35 to 39, 2016

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 34 59 22 71 41 19 246
Coronavirus 2 2 2 4 3 2 15
Influenza A 2 1 1 26 32 21 83
Influenza B 3 2 1 8 8 2 24
Parainfluenza † 34 27 11 28 37 27 164
Respiratory syncytial virus 112 50 2 17 13 12 206
Rhinovirus 272 222 87 168 114 108 1 972

* 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 35 Week 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Total
Week ending 4/9/2016 11/9/2016 18/9/2016 25/9/2016 2/10/2016  
Coxiella burnettii
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 1 2 1 4
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 8 8 12 5 3 36
Legionella sp. 8 11 3 12 14 48

* 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 35 Week 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Total
Week ending 4/9/2016 11/9/2016 18/9/2016 25/9/2016 2/10/2016  
Nosocomial 0
Community 3 3 2 7 9 24
Travel abroad 4 7 4 5 20
Travel UK 1 1 1 1 4
Total 8 11 3 12 14 48
Male 6 10 2 11 10 39
Female 2 1 1 1 4 9

Forty-eight cases were reported with pneumonia. Thirty-nine males aged 25 - 82 years and nine females aged 40 - 91 years. Twenty-four cases had community-acquired infection. Five deaths were reported: in four males aged 30 - 82 and a female aged 74.

Twenty-four cases were reported with travel association: Barbados (1) Cruise/France (1), France (2), Indonesia/Qatar (1), Italy (2), Mexico (1), Portugal (1), Russia (1), Spain (6), Thailand (1), Turkey (1), United Arab Emirates (2) and United Kingdom (4).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 35 to 39, 2016

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 1 2 3
Cheshire & Merseyside 2 2 4
Greater Manchester 1 1
Cumbria & Lancashire 0
Yorkshire & the Humber 3 2 1 6
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 1 1
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 0
Wessex 1 1 2
Thames Valley 2 2 4
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 1 1
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 1 1
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 3 3
Anglia & Essex 2 2 4
West Midlands 6 2 1 9
London Integrated Region          
London 1 4 1 6
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 1 1
North Wales 0
South East Wales 0
Miscellaneous          
Other 2 2
Not known 0
Total 0 24 20 4 48

* Non-pneumonic case

This report was published in Health Protection Report volume 10 issue 34.