Epidemiology of parainfluenza virus type 3 in England and Wales over a ten-year period

We have analysed data on respiratory syncytial (RS) and parainfluenza type 3 (PF3) viruses reported to the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, London, over the period 1978-87. These confirm the annual winter epidemic of RS virus and show that, in England and Wales, PF3 is a summer infection with regular yearly epidemics.