Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 40 to 43, 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 PHE Colindale, by week of report

Week Week 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Total
Week ending 9/10/2016 16/10/2016 26/10/2016 30/10/2016  
Influenza A 29 8 12 12 61
Isolation 2 2 4
DIF * 1 1 1 3
PCR 13 7 10 7 37
Other † 13 1 1 2 17
Influenza B 13 1 6 1 21
Isolation 1 2 3
DIF * 0
PCR 7 1 4 1 13
Other † 5 5

* 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 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Total
Week ending 9/10/2016 16/10/2016 26/10/2016 30/10/2016  
Adenovirus* 49 36 63 58 206
Coronavirus 4 11 8 13 36
Parainfluenza† 41 52 55 67 215
Rhinovirus 361 331 380 343 1415
RSV 61 101 170 252 584

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 40 to 43, 2016

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 35 68 22 45 23 13 206
Coronavirus 3 3 2 5 11 12 36
Influenza A 1 4 2 16 9 24 1 57
Influenza B 1 3 2 3 3 4 16
Parainfluenza † 30 41 10 46 57 31 215
Respiratory syncytial virus 365 132 12 23 26 26 584
Rhinovirus 372 261 106 231 194 251 1415

* 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 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Total
Week ending 9/10/2016 16/10/2016 26/10/2016 30/10/2016  
Coxiella burnettii 0
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 2 2 2 6
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 5 9 13 2 29
Legionella sp. 18 9 15 18 60

* 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 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Total
Week ending 9/10/2016 16/10/2016 26/10/2016 30/10/2016  
Nosocomial 1 1
Community 9 4 5(1*) 4 22
Travel abroad 4 5 9 12 30
Travel UK 4 1 2 7
Total 18 9 15 18 60
Male 15 6 10 14 45
Female 3 3 5 4 15

(*) non-pneumonic case

Fifty-nine cases were reported with pneumonia and one case had non-pneumonic infection. Forty-five males aged 38-84 years and 15 females aged 54-89 years. Twenty-two cases had community-acquired infection. One death was reported in a male aged 73 years.

Thirty-seven cases were reported with travel association: Bulgaria (2), Egypt (1), France (1), Greece (4), Italy (1), Lithuania (1), Macedonia (1), Malta (1), Mauritius (1), Russia (1), Spain (5), Spain/United Kingdom (1), South Africa/United Arab Emirates (1), Thailand (1), Turkey (2), United Arab Emirates (5), United Kingdom (7) and United States of America (1).

6. Table 6. Laboratory reports of Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales, by PHE Centre: weeks 40 to 43, 2016

Region/Country Nosocomial Community Travel Abroad Travel UK Total
North of England          
North East 2 2
Cheshire & Merseyside 1 1
Greater Manchester 1 2 1 4
Cumbria & Lancashire 1 1
Yorkshire & the Humber 3 3 6
South of England          
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset 0
Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire 1 1 2
Wessex 1 1 2
Thames Valley 1 1 2
Sussex, Surrey & Kent 3 4 7
Midlands & East of England          
East Midlands 2 4 1 7
South Midlands & Hertfordshire 1(1*) 1 2
Anglia & Essex 2 5 7
West Midlands 2 1 3 6
London Integrated Region          
London 3 6 9
Public Health Wales          
Mid & West Wales 1 1
North Wales 0
South East Wales 1 1
Miscellaneous          
Other 0
Not known 0
Total 1 22 30 7 60

(*) non-pneumonic case

This HPR report was published on 4 October 2016.