Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 1 to 4, 2017

Updated 5 January 2018

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 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Total
Week ending 8/1/2017 15/1/2017 22/1/2017 29/1/2017  
Influenza A 891 1249 897 998 4035
Isolation 51 93 55 29 228
DIF * 95 56 67 29 247
PCR 704 1060 748 897 3409
Other † 41 40 27 43 151
Influenza B 8 29 10 23 70
Isolation 1 1 2
DIF * 3 5 8 16
PCR 5 24 8 13 50
Other † 1 1 2

* 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 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Total
Week ending 8/1/2017 15/1/2017 22/1/2017 29/1/2017  
Adenovirus* 98 92 75 102 367
Coronavirus 76 92 78 101 347
Parainfluenza† 67 121 104 80 372
Rhinovirus 255 370 262 271 1158
RSV 602 625 387 277 1891

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 1 to 4, 2017

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 57 106 29 90 47 38 367
Coronavirus 58 31 12 53 53 140 347
Influenza A 98 156 139 888 897 2592 2 4772
Influenza B 4 5 13 19 36 77
Parainfluenza † 65 61 20 45 63 117 1 372
Respiratory syncytial virus 751 115 25 137 244 618 1 1891
Rhinovirus 285 169 58 163 185 298 1158

* 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 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Total
Week ending 8/1/2017 15/1/2017 22/1/2017 29/1/2017  
Coxiella burnettii 0
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 1 2 3
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 11 22 15 6 54

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

5. Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales

The first monthly report of 2017 (January data) for Legionnaires’ Disease will be linked to this page after publication on 13 February 2017.

This report is published on 3 February 2017.