Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 44 to 47, 2017

Updated 5 January 2018

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

1. Table 1. Reports of influenza infection made to PHE Colindale, by week of report

Week Week 44 Week 45 Week 46 Week 47 Total
Week ending 5/11/2017 12/11/2017 19/11/2017 26/11/2017  
Influenza A 30 40 65 69 204
Isolation 4 1 4 8 17
DIF * 2 5 3 10
PCR 22 27 55 46 150
Other † 2 7 6 12 27
Influenza B 12 11 22 29 74
Isolation 1 1
DIF * 1 1 1 2 5
PCR 9 9 20 25 63
Other † 2 1 2 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 44 Week 45 Week 46 Week 47 Total
Week ending 5/11/2017 12/11/2017 19/11/2017 26/11/2017  
Adenovirus* 67 82 133 105 387
Coronavirus 6 15 16 17 54
Parainfluenza† 112 162 259 130 663
Rhinovirus 340 412 824 418 1994
Respiratory syncytial virus 338 484 809 832 2463

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 44 to 47, 2017

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 80 141 34 76 36 20 387
Coronavirus 12 13 5 11 4 9 54
Influenza A 6 15 10 43 58 63 195
Influenza B 2 16 7 18 16 18 77
Parainfluenza † 137 126 62 88 107 143 663
Respiratory syncytial virus 1493 564 52 78 118 156 2 2463
Rhinovirus 608 371 127 317 260 311 1994

* 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 44 Week 45 Week 46 Week 47 Total
Week ending 5/11/2017 12/11/2017 19/11/2017 26/11/2017  
Coxiella burnettii 3 2 5
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 8 10 9 3 30
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 13 14 13 8 48

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

5. Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales

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

This report was published on 1 December 2017.