Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: weeks 40 to 43, 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 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Total
Week ending 7/10/2018 14/10/2018 21/10/2018 28/10/2018  
Influenza A 16 23 17 34 90
Isolation 3 1 4
DIF * 1 1 2
PCR 15 17 15 30 77
Other † 1 2 1 3 7
Influenza B 8 6 8 22
Isolation 0
DIF * 1 1 2
PCR 6 5 8 19
Other † 1 1

* 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 7/10/2018 14/10/2018 21/10/2018 28/10/2018  
Adenovirus* 52 48 41 55 196
Coronavirus 9 7 9 8 33
Parainfluenza† 77 66 90 71 304
Rhinovirus 386 340 362 329 1417
RSV 108 120 232 325 785

* Respiratory samples only.

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

Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 40 to 43, 2018

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 38 79 10 38 19 12 196
Coronavirus 3 3 2 11 9 5 33
Influenza A 4 7 2 31 25 25 1 95
Influenza B 5 2 5 3 5 1 21
Parainfluenza † 64 65 23 40 45 67 304
Respiratory syncytial virus 467 205 9 27 28 48 1 785
Rhinovirus 328 221 110 319 191 247 1 1417

* 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 7/10/2018 14/10/2018 21/10/2018 28/10/2018  
Coxiella burnettii 2 2
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* 10 15 6 31
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 10 10 4 6 30

* 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 was published in Health Protection Report volume 12 issue 39.