Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 40 to 43, 2017

Updated 5 January 2018

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

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 8/10/2017 15/10/2017 22/10/2017 29/10/2017  
Influenza A 32 37 27 34 130
Isolation 3 3 3 9
DIF * 3 1 1 2 7
PCR 21 26 16 19 82
Other † 5 7 10 10 32
Influenza B 11 16 7 10 44
Isolation 1 1 2
DIF * 2 2
PCR 11 14 6 5 36
Other † 1 1 2 4

* DIF = Direct Immunofluorescence. † Other = “Antibody detection - single high titre” or “Method not specified”.

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 8/10/2017 15/10/2017 22/10/2017 29/10/2017  
Adenovirus* 38 56 62 66 222
Coronavirus 7 6 6 10 29
Parainfluenza† 109 125 152 153 539
Rhinovirus 455 474 408 402 1739
Respiratory syncytial virus 120 135 224 270 749

* Respiratory samples only. † Includes parainfluenza types 1, 2, 3, 4 and untyped.

Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 40 to 43, 2017

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 38 77 15 46 29 16 1 222
Coronavirus 1 5 2 6 8 7 29
Influenza A 1 17 5 37 36 43 1 140
Influenza B 1 8 4 9 5 18 45
Parainfluenza † 82 116 58 75 96 111 1 539
Respiratory syncytial virus 366 168 32 58 57 66 2 749
Rhinovirus 393 306 134 329 263 314 1739

* Respiratory samples only. † Includes parainfluenza types 1, 2, 3, 4 and untyped.

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 8/10/2017 15/10/2017 22/10/2017 29/10/2017  
Coxiella burnettii 1 1
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 3 6 4 1 14
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 17 16 12 8 53

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

Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales

Monthly reports of Legionnaires’ Disease at Legionnaires’ disease monthly surveillance reports: 2017.

This report was published on 3 November 2017.