Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 5 to 8, 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 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Total
Week ending 5/2/2017 12/2/2017 19/2/2017 26/2/2017  
Influenza A 1277 789 550 589 3205
Isolation 87 31 37 11 166
DIF * 138 57 30 43 268
PCR 978 622 434 475 2509
Other † 74 79 49 60 262
Influenza B 42 22 30 34 128
Isolation 1 1 2 4
DIF * 18 5 13 9 45
PCR 23 15 15 21 74
Other † 1 1 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 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Total
Week ending 5/2/2017 12/2/2017 19/2/2017 26/2/2017  
Adenovirus* 106 106 105 121 438
Coronavirus 168 162 165 142 637
Parainfluenza† 107 97 101 125 430
Rhinovirus 369 297 256 282 1204
Respiratory syncytial virus 195 152 129 131 607

* Respiratory samples only.

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

3. Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 5 to 8, 2017

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 75 144 42 84 50 43 438
Coronavirus 107 83 50 89 106 202 637
Influenza A 84 125 161 669 702 1993 4 3738
Influenza B 2 4 8 37 28 73 152
Parainfluenza † 108 80 20 60 75 87 430
Respiratory syncytial virus 180 49 17 46 88 225 2 607
Rhinovirus 353 231 101 168 165 185 1 1204

* 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 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Total
Week ending 5/2/2017 12/2/2017 19/2/2017 26/2/2017  
Coxiella burnettii 2 2 4
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 9 11 6 6 32
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 15 12 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 is published on 3 March 2017.