Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 18 to 21, 2018

Updated 4 January 2019

Data are recorded by week of report but include only specimens taken in the last 8 weeks (recent specimens).

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

Week Week 18 Week 19 Week 20 Week 21 Total
Week ending 6/5/2018 13/5/2018 20/5/2018 27/5/2018  
Influenza A 118 72 50 25 265
Isolation 12 2 1 2 17
DIF * 12 1 2 15
PCR 86 62 43 17 208
Other † 8 7 4 6 25
Influenza B 23 26 17 5 71
Isolation 2 1 3
DIF * 3 1 4
PCR 16 23 16 4 59
Other † 2 2 1 5

* 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 18 Week 19 Week 20 Week 21 Total
Week ending 6/5/2018 13/5/2018 20/5/2018 27/5/2018  
Adenovirus* 110 97 95 87 389
Coronavirus 34 12 17 13 76
Parainfluenza† 174 173 199 166 712
Rhinovirus 279 297 357 285 1218
RSV 34 27 23 34 118

* Respiratory samples only.

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

Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 18 to 21, 2018

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 69 130 36 99 33 22 389
Coronavirus 9 9 2 13 19 24 76
Influenza A 8 14 10 42 45 91 5 215
Influenza B 1 4 2 14 9 31 2 63
Parainfluenza † 150 134 32 91 152 154 713
Respiratory syncytial virus 65 17 4 5 9 18 118
Rhinovirus 253 116 206 129 182 1219

* 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 18 Week 19 Week 20 Week 21 Total
Week ending 6/5/2018 13/5/2018 20/5/2018 27/5/2018  
Coxiella burnettii 3 2 2 7
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 4 4 5 1 14
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 7 7 5 5 24

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

Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales

Latest reports of Legionnaires’ Disease are published at Legionnaires’ disease monthly surveillance reports: 2018.

Routine national (UK) influenza reports

UK influenza reports are published (by season) at Weekly National Flu Reports collection.

This report is published in HPR 12(19).