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Relevance. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are the most common natural focal diseases of viral etiology In Russia. The medical and social significance of these two infections is determined by the extensive fociof their spread, high annual morbidity rates in the population, and the possibility of developing severe forms of the disease leading to permanent disability and death. The causative agents of HFRS In Russia are 6 types of hantaviruses Hantaan, Amur, Seoul, Puumala, Kurkino and Sochi, which, immunologically and genetically significantly different from each other, support their existence in nature through six different species of small mammals, which are sources of infection in humans. TBE virus strains that cause disease in humans belong to five phylogenetically distinct subtypes, including: Far Eastern, European, Siberian, “178-79” and Baikal. Aim. Analysis of the role of small mammals and ticks in the ecology of HFRS and TBE pathogens. Conclusions. Small mammals retain and transmit hantaviruses to uninfected animals and ticks. At the same time, ticks retain and transmit to ticks and mammals not only the TBE virus, but also hantaviruses. Despite the taxonomic difference between the viruses that cause HFRS and TBE, some of their ecological properties are similar.

Relevance. Lyme disease (LD) remains an important public health problem, especially in Russia, where the incidence is consistently high. To date, there is still no available vaccine against LD, and prevention involves non-specific measures. Aim: to review the literature and summarise data on progress, approaches and strategies for LD vaccine development. Conclusions. The first LD vaccines were developed in the 1990s. An OspA-based vaccine (LYMErix) was commercially available in the early 2000s but not widely distributed. An important milestone in the development of LD vaccines was the shift from the development of monovalent vaccines based on a single type of outer surface protein to the development of multivalent combinations that provide protection against different Borrelia genospecies. A multivalent OspA-based vaccine (VLA15) is in phase III clinical trials and is likely to be the next LD vaccine available on the market. New genetic strategies for vaccine development, identification of new immunogens, and development of vaccines targeting different parts of the LD transmission cycle are of broad interest for further development of LD vaccines.

Relevance. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an acute viral zoonosis. Being widespread in Eurasia, it holds a leading place in Russia among natural focal human diseases. The vast majority of HFRS cases in Russia, about 98%, are associated with Puumala virus. The disease is characterized by a wide range of clinical manifestations. Early specific diagnostics appears to be of a great importance for starting timely pathogenic therapy. The aim of the study was to clarify the diagnostic value of detecting hantavirus antibodies in the HFRS suspected patient urine. Materials and methods. Blood sera and urine samples from 68 patients at the Infectious Diseases Hospital in the city of Ufa, obtained with a 2-day interval, as well as urine and blood serum samples from 15 convalescents 1, 2, 3 and 6 months after disease onset were examined for hantavirus antibodies. 53 blood sera and urine samples from patients residing in Moscow, Moscow and Samara regions collected at different time points during the disease course were investigated in parallel. Antibodies were detected by the indirect immunofluorescence method. Results. On day 3, 4, 5 and 6 of disease, while specific antibodies were detected in the blood serum, antibodies in the urine were found in 85.7%, 89.4%, 93.1% and 100% of patients, respectively. The peak quantity of antibodies was excreted in the urine from days 5 to 11, which corresponds to the oliguric stage of the disease. In the convalescent period, antibodies were still detected in urine 1, 2 and 3 months afterwards in 86.7%, 46% and 20% of cases, respectively, but not detected 6 months later, which probably reflects the process of long-term restoration of the kidneys function. A moderate positive correlation between specific antibodies in serum and urine was observed only in the oliguric period of the disease. Conclusions. Detection of hantavirus antibodies simultaneously in blood serum and urine of febrile patients instead of paired blood sera allows to conduct HFRS diagnostics within the very first days of hospitalization and prevent severe complications due to timely pathogenic therapy.

Introduction. Since the development of inactivated polio vaccines, different stages of the production process have been changed and improved. Current production of inactivated polio vaccines based on both wild and attenuated strains includes several technological stages, one of which is the concentration of the virus-containing liquid, which ensures poliovirus concentration, and purification of the virus-containing liquid from a significant part of the ballast components.Research objective is to compare the characteristics of ultrafiltration membranes and select the membranes that provide optimal value of purification and concentration of poliovirus type 1 (Sabin strain).Materials and methods. Laboratory ultrafiltration systems from two manufacturers with 50, 100, and 300 kDa membranes were used for the concentration. Results were evaluated by the content of total protein, which is the main stress for the subsequent purification stages, the value of infectious virus titer in the concentrate, and the content of D-antigen as the target product.Results and discussion. Obtained results demonstrated that the content of the target product (the highest D-antigen content) and purification from impurity proteins (the total protein content in the concentrate) were most optimal when a membrane with a cut-off of 300 kDa was used for concentration. The study also evaluated the real cut-off components by various membranes to determine the composition of the protein load on the target product.Conclusion. In terms of quality of the resulting target product and the manufacturability of the production process, the use of a 300 kDa membrane is the most appropriate when working out the technology for manufacturing inactivated polio vaccine based on Sabin strains of poliovirus and the Vero line as a producing culture.

Introduction. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) holds a leading place among natural focal human diseases in Russian Federation. There is no etiotropic therapy for the disease now. The vaccine prophylaxis is the most effective method to control this infection. The main criteria for inactivated vaccines evaluation are its immunogenicity and specific activity. The study purposes were to develop a sensitive and specific real-time PCR method for viral RNA quantification in the inactivated vaccine and to study the correlation between the viral RNA amount and vaccine immunogenicity. Material and methods. L-segment fragments of the Puumala, Hantaan, and Sochi vaccine strains were selected as diagnostic targets for oligonucleotides and fluorescent probes. The immunogenicity of experimental vaccines was determined by the induction of neutralizing antibodies in BALB/c mice. Results. A highly specific, sensitive and reproducible real-time PCR method has been developed. The analytical sensitivity was 1.24 ± 1.5 x 102 copies/ml for Puumala virus; 1.16 ± 1.4 * 102 copies/ml for Hantaan; 1.32 ± 1.8 * 102 copies/ ml for Sochi, with a virus content of 1.5 ± 0.5 lg FFU/ml; 1.8 ± 0.5 lg FFU/ml and 2.2 ± 0.5 lg FFU/ml, respectively. The viral RNA amount in experimental vaccine preparations inactivated with β-propiolactone was proportional to the neutralizing antibodies titer observed in mice following the immunization. Discussion. It was found that different virus inactivators differently affects the detected viral RNA amount, but not the vaccine immunogenicity, which indicates the same degree of the immunogenic proteins damage. The direct relationship between the viral RNA copy number and vaccine immunogenicity makes it possible to use this criterion for vaccine dosage preparation. Conclusion. The developed method for viral RNA quantification is a promising tool for the specific activity control of the HFRS vaccine.

Introduction. Organization of high-quality training of the vehicles’ drivers is possible only with the proper formation of professional skills. Moreover, the formation of the skills is necessary for the driver to control the vehicle safety, perhaps by using simulators at the initial stage of training. The use of simulators allows automating the actions that the driver performs, while not exposing the student to risks.Therefore, the purpose of the paper is to analyze the application of simulators in the training of the vehicles’ drivers.Materials and methods. The paper presented the basic psycho physiological principles of the learning process, which should be taken into account when using simulators for driver training. The authors demonstrated the classification of the car simulators used for training of drivers by the information models. Existing information models of simulators were divided into two groups: reproducing only visual information, without imitation of the vestibular and simulating both visual and vestibular information. The analysis reflected the advantages and disadvantages of information models.Results. As a result, the authors proposed two systematizing features: the view angle of the visual information and the simulation of vestibular information.Discussion and conclusions. The research is useful not only for the further science development, but also for the selection of simulators and for the organization of the educational process in driving schools.

A task of creating a universal platform for engineering affordable recombinant producers of viral proteins conserving immunogenicity has not been solved yet. High toxicity of the viral proteins for the host cells, low yield and abnormal folding of the products often present severe obstacles to obtaining producers of the viral proteins. In this work, we report a new method of engineering and screening of deletion libraries from the viral antigen genes. This method allows selection of artificial derivatives of these genes adapted for expression in microbial producer cells. The method involves PCR amplification of the gene fragments using a system of randomized and adapter primers, which allows the spontaneous formation of duplexes from the random primers in the absence of the template DNA to be prevented. For selecting variants capable of in vivo expression, the obtained PCR products are cloned to a special vector of a direct phenotypical selection pQL30. It contains E. coli β-galactosidase gene with an inserted polylinker producing a frame-shift mutation. Using this screening method, an artificial variant of hepatitis C (HCV) NS5a gene with optimal biotechnological properties was established. 27 clinical specimens of 1670 bp long HCV1b NS5a fragments were used as a source gene. A PCR bank of the deletion derivatives was produced. 40 LacZ-positive clones based on pQL30 vector with a 50-700 bp long insertion were selected. The LacZ activity of the cell lysates and the immunogenicity of the products were tested. As a result, a single clone encoding a soluble protein with Mr = 114 kDa was selected. Its yield reached 0.3% of the total cell protein. It was highly reactive with sera of HCV 1b infected patients but not with sera of the healthy donors.

Previously transgenic Kalanchoe pinnata plants producing an antimicrobial peptide cecropin P1 (CecP1) have been reported. Now we report biological testing K. pinnata extracts containing CecP1 as a candidate drug for treatment of wounds infected with Candida albicans. The drug constitutes the whole juice from K. pinnata leaves (not ethanol extract) sterilized with nanofiltration. A microbicide activity of CecP1 against an animal fungal pathogen in vivo was demonstrated for the first time. However, a favorable therapeutic effect of the transgenic K. pinnata extract was attributed to a synergism between the fungicide activity of CecP1 and wound healing (antiscar), revascularizing, and immunomodulating effect of natural biologically active components of K. pinnata. A commercial fungicide preparation clotrimazole eliminated C. albicans cells within infected wounds in rats with efficiency comparable to CecP1-enriched K. pinnata extract. But in contrast to K. pinnata extract, clotrimazole did not exhibit neither wound healing activity nor remodeling of the scar matrix. Taken together, our results allow assumption that CecP1-enriched K. pinnata extracts should be considered as a candidate drug for treatment of dermatomycoses, wounds infected with fungi, and bedsores.

According to the World Health Organization, there are about 300 million people worldwide living with chronic hepatitis B, with about 1.5 million new infections occurring each year. In the Russian Federation, starting from the new century, there has been a gradual decrease in the incidence of acute hepatitis B, which retains the status of a socially significant viral infection. Vaccination against hepatitis B was included in the National Immunization Schedule in December 1997. by order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation No. 375, which was later (in September 1998) enshrined in the Federal Law "On Immunoprophylaxis of Infectious Diseases". Currently, the main indicator of the body's protection against infection with the hepatitis B virus after immunoprophylaxis is the level of post-vaccination antibodies of the IgG class to HBsAg (anti-HBs), which can be determined using serological tests. The results of a study of the intensity of post-vaccination immunity against hepatitis B in children and young people vaccinated in the first year of life with a monocomponent recombinant hepatitis B vaccine are presented. A high proportion of children (85.5%) with anti-hepatitis B indicators at low (10-100 mMU/ml) or practically undetectable (below 10 mMU/ml) has been established.ml) levels. The results obtained correlate with a high proportion of children with a burdened premorbid background (87.1%) and, probably, the presence of immunodeficiency conditions. In young people, the proportion of seronegativation was 43.2%, and in combination with persons with low-level antibodies - 82.8% of the total number of examined. Thus, due to the weak response to the recombinant hepatitis B vaccine and the high medical and social significance of hepatitis B infection, various approaches are currently being developed to enhance the effectiveness of vaccination: changes in the vaccination regimen; correction of immune system functions to restore an adequate response to vaccine preparations, the use of various adjuvants, including recombinant interferons.

The development of COVID-globulin, a COVID-19-specific human immunoglobulin preparation, involved choosing a method to quantify antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Antibody titre determination by virus neutralisation (VN) is labour-intensive and unsuitable for large-scale application. To enable routine testing, it was necessary to develop a less demanding method; the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was the most appropriate of solutions. The lack of international and industry reference standards (RS) prompted the preparation and certification of an RS for COVID-globulin potency control.The aim of the study was to examine the possibility of substituting ELISA for VN and to develop an RS for SARS-CoV-2 antibody quantification in immunoglobulin preparations.Materials and methods: the authors used commercial ELISA kits by several manufacturers, COVID-globulin by Microgen (48 batches), and human plasma samples from multiple sources (1499 samples). The tests were performed by VN, ELISA, and chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay.Results: the authors validated an ELISA method for SARS-CoV-2 antibody quantification with the selected reagent kits by the National Medical Research Center for Hematology (NMRC for Hematology) and Euroimmun AG. The authors demonstrated the possibility of using ELISA instead of VN (with a correlation coefficient of more than 0.9). They developed and characterised an in-house RS for SARS-CoV-2 antibody content in human immunoglobulin preparations. The RS was certified in newly introduced anti-COVID units (ACU) and in international binding antibody units (BAU) using the World Health Organisation (WHO) international reference panel (NIBSC code: 20/268). The RS's potency was measured in terms of its neutralising activity in ACU (320 ACU/mL) and BAU (2234.8 BAU/mL). The authors established the relationship between ACU and BAU units. For the selected ELISA reagent kits, the conversion factors were 6.4 (NMRC for Hematology) and 7.0 (Euroimmun AG).Conclusions: the ELISA method for SARS-CoV-2 antibody quantification and the RS for SARS-CoV-2 antibody content can be applied to determine the potency of human anti-COVID-19 immunoglobulins.

Introduction. Flaviviruses, possessing natural neurotropicity could be used in glioblastoma therapy using attenuated strains or as a delivery system for antitumor agents in an inactivated form. Objective. To investigate the sensitivity of glioblastoma and pancreatic carcinoma cell lines to vaccine strains of yellow fever and tick-borne encephalitis viruses. Materials and methods. Cell lines: glioblastoma GL-6, T98G, LN-229, pancreatic carcinoma MIA RaCa-2 and human pancreatic ductal carcinoma PANC-1. Viral strains: 17D yellow fever virus (YF), Sofjin tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Virus concentration were determined by plaque assay and quantitative PCR. Determination of cell sensitivity to viruses by MTT assay. Results. 17D YF was effective only against pancreatic carcinoma tumor cells MIA Paca-2 and had a limited effect against PANC-1. In glioblastoma cell lines (LN229, GL6, T98G), virus had no oncolytic effect and the viral RNA concentration fell in the culture medium. Sofjin TBEV showed CPE50 against MIA Paca-2 and a very limited cytotoxic effect against PANC-1. However, it had no oncolytic effect against glioblastoma cell lines (LN229, T98G and GL6), although virus reproduction continued in these cultures. For the GL6 glioblastoma cell line, the viral RNA concentration at the level with the infection dose was determined within 13 days, despite medium replacement, while in the case of the LN229 cell line, the virus concentration increased from 1 × 109 to 1 × 1010 copies/ml. Conclusion. Tumor behavior in organism is more complex and is determined by different microenvironmental factors and immune status. In the future, it is advisable to continue studying the antitumor oncolytic and immunomodulatory effects of viral strains 17D YF and Sofjin TBEV using in vivo models.

АКТУАЛЬНОСТЬ: Экстренные операции аортокоронарного шунтирования (АКШ) сопряжены с риском постперфузионного системного воспалительного ответа (СВО). Профилактическое применение высоких дозировок аскорбиновой кислоты, обладающей антиоксидантным и иммуномодулирующим эффектом, может быть обоснованным, но в данной клинической ситуации недостаточно изучено. ЦЕЛЬ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ: Определить возможности профилактики аскорбиновой кислотой СВО при экстренном АКШ в условиях искусственного кровообращения. МАТЕРИАЛЫ И МЕТОДЫ: В проспективное ранодомизированное исследование было включено 60 пациентов (32 мужчины и 28 женщин, средний возраст 63 (59; 70) года, перенесших операцию АКШ (3 ± 1 шунт), выполненную по экстренным показаниям в условиях искусственного кровообращения 95 (77; 122) мин. Пациентов рандомизированно разделили на две группы. Пациентам основной группы (n = 30) превентивно за 1 ч до кожного разреза внутривенно вводили 4 г аскорбиновой кислоты, пациентам контрольной группы (n = 30) проводили стандартную предоперационную профилактику СВО. РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ: Применение аскорбиновой кислоты (n = 30) сопровождалось снижением частоты проявлений СВО (20 и 47 %; p = 0,048) и сокращением сроков послеоперационной госпитализации (9 [8; 10] и 11 [10; 16] сут; p = 0,013). ВЫВОДЫ: Профилактическое применение аскорбиновой кислоты безопасно, позволяет снизить частоту отдельных проявлений СВО и длительность послеоперационной госпитализации.

АКТУАЛЬНОСТЬ: Частота развития, спектр и патофизиологические взаимосвязи основных клинических проявлений системного воспалительного ответа при экстренном аортокоронарном шунтировании (АКШ) не до конца изучены. ЦЕЛЬ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ: Определить клиническое значение системного воспалительного ответа (СВО) при экстренном АКШ, выполняемом в условиях искусственного кровообращения (ИК). МАТЕРИАЛЫ И МЕТОДЫ: Обследовали 60 пациентов (мужчины, n = 38, и женщины, n = 22; средний возраст 65 ± 9 лет), перенесших экстренное АКШ (3 ± 1 шунт) в условиях ИК (97 ± 47 мин). Ретроспективно изучили клинико-лабораторные данные периоперационного и раннего послеоперационного периода при экстренном и плановом АКШ. РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ: У экстренно оперированных пациентов (n = 30) в раннем послеоперационном периоде отметили большую частоту (53,3 и 13,3 %; p = 0,0022) развития системных проявлений воспалительного ответа (нейтрофильный лейкоцитоз, лихорадка, постперфузионная вазоплегия), а также респираторных осложнений (70 и 10 %; p

In August 2022, a sudden death in backyard chickens was reported in the Moscow Oblast (urban district Chernogolovka, settlement Starki). As a result, within just a few days 45 chickens on this farm died or fell ill with the following signs – gray mucus discharge from nostrils and beak, coughing, gasping and rales. On day 1–3 after the onset of symptoms, the chicken died. The Newcastle disease virus, which is a representative of the Paramyxoviruses family, was isolated from the dead poultry. We determined the nucleotide sequences of fragments in F gene (encodes the fusion surface protein) and in NP gene (encodes the nucleocapsid protein). The motif of 109SGGRRQKRFIG119 proteolysis site, typical for the velogenic pathotype, was determined for the F gene, and a phylogenetic analysis was carried out to demonstrate that the isolate belonged to Subgenotype VII, Class II of the subfamily Avulavirinae. The Basic Local Alignment Search Tool revealed that they are most genetically related with isolates from Iran. It was found that the average death time of developing chicken embryos, infected with a minimum infectious dose, was 52 hours, which is typical for the velogenic pathotype. The virus caused 100% death in six-week-old chickens after oral infection and 100% death in all contact chickens, including those kept in cages at a distance, which proves the high level of pathogenicity and contagiousness of the recovered isolate and its ability to transmit both via fecal-oral and aerosols–borne routes. No death cases were reported in mice after intranasal infection with high doses.

Introduction. Using of immunoglobulins containing SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies may be an effective and safe tool for COVID-19 treatment. An intravenous immunoglobulin COVID-globulin from donor blood plasma containing SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies was developed at Joint-Stock Company Nacimbio.Aim. A pilot study of the safety of the "COVID-globulin".Materials and methods. When studying the safety of the preparation in animals the following parameters were evaluated: general toxicity, thrombogenic potential, influence on hematological and biochemical parameters, blood clotting and hemolytic activity, determination of local irritant action, pyrogenic properties, bacterial endotoxins, allergic effect of the drug preparation and its physicochemical characteristics.Results and discussion. Safety studies of "COVID-globulin" in animals showed no signs of intoxication, local irritant action and thrombogenic properties. Macroscopic and histological examination of the organs of rats treated with COVID-globulin showed no signs of necrosis, inflammation, atypia, or any significant pathological changes. Hematological and biochemical parameters of the blood of laboratory animals after the administration of "COVID-globulin" corresponded to the reference values. Administration of COVID-globulin to rabbits did not activate blood clot formation. The IgG subclasses distribution in the preparation corresponded to that in human plasma. The activity of the Fc-function of the immunoglobulin molecule was more than 130 % compared to the reference standard preparation, the concentration of the prekallikrein activator in the COVID-globulin ranged from 4.2 to 4.8 IU/ml, anticomplementary activity was less than 1 unit complement per 1 mg of protein.Conclusion. The results of all studies have demonstrated a high level of safety of the developed COVID-globulin preparation, which meets the safety requirements for human immunoglobulins for intravenous administration by national regulatory documents and the European Pharmacopoeia.

Transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an increasing concern in many countries. We investigated the detection rate of HEV viremia in blood donors in Russia. A total of 20,405 regular repetitive voluntary non-renumerated blood donors from two regions (Moscow and Belgorod) were screened for HEV RNA using the cobas® HEV test in mini-pools of six plasma samples. Samples from each reactive pool were tested individually. The average HEV RNA prevalence was 0.024% (95% CI: 0.01–0.05%), or 1 case per 4081 donations. No statistically significant differences in HEV RNA prevalence were observed between the two study regions. The PCR threshold cycle (Ct) values ranged from 25.0 to 40.5 in reactive pools, and from 20.9 to 41.4 in reactive plasma samples when tested individually. The HEV viremic donors had different antibody patterns. Two donor samples were reactive for both anti-HEV IgM and IgG antibodies, one sample was reactive for anti-HEV IgM and negative for anti-HEV IgG, and two samples were seronegative. At follow-up testing 6 months later, on average, four donors available for follow-up had become negative for HEV RNA and positive for anti-HEV IgG. The HEV ORF2 sequence belonging to HEV-3 sub-genotype 3a was obtained from one donor sample. The sequencing failed in the other four samples from viremic donors, presumably due to the low viral load. In conclusion, the HEV RNA detection rate in blood donors in Russia corresponds with data from other European countries, including those that implemented universal donor HEV screening. These data support the implementation of HEV RNA donor screening to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted HEV infection in Russia.

A clinical and laboratory examination of 62 children aged 10—17 years vaccinated against hepatitis B according to the standard scheme (0—1—6 months) in the first year of life strictly according to the National Calendar of preventive vaccinations in a standard dose (10 micrograms of recombinant HBsAg) with a monocomponent vaccine was carried out.The majority of children (58%) had indicators of seroconversion of HBsAg — anti-HBs-antibodies. This indicates the fact of long-lasting Grund immunity — 10—17 years after timely 3-fold immunization against hepatitis B according to the standard scheme at a standard dose (10 mcg of recombinant HBsAg in the first year of life in the absence of Wooster immunization (revaccination) in subsequent age periods, including children with a burdened premorbid background (87.1% among those observed). Since among those observed were children with invasive medical interventions (50%), the established fact reflects the protective effect of standard Grund immunization even in children at risk — with a positive parenteral history. At the same time, the total assessment of serological and molecular biological results found that after triple immunization against hepatitis B according to the standard scheme in the first year of life, out of 62 children aged 10—17 years, the proportion of seronegative was 42%. Low levels of antibodies (10—100 IU/l) were detected in 43% of cases, high (100—1000 IU/l) — in 15% of cases. No child had an antibody level exceeding >1000 IU/l. These results require the development of new approaches to immunization of children against hepatitis B with mandatory revaccination at an older age.

Background. Preventive vaccination is a vitally important strategic aspect of protection of the population against severe effects of influenza epidemics. The priority attention is given to development of effective tetravalent vaccines containing antigens of two influenza A lineages (H1N1, H3N2) and two influenza B lineages (Victoria and Yamagata) in combination with immunoadjuvants.The aim of the work was to conduct the preclinical study of the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of the innovative tetravalent subunit vaccine containing antigens of influenza A and B viruses as well as a corpuscular adjuvant.Materials and methods. The study was conducted using female BALB/c mice. The tetravalent vaccine and monovalent intermediate vaccines combined with a betulin adjuvant were injected intraperitoneally two times at a 14-day interval. The immunogenic activity was measured by the hemagglutination inhibition assay. The protective activity of the vaccine was assessed by changes in the viral load, body weight and survival rates using the mouse model of fatal influenza A H1N1 virus infection.Results. The mice vaccinated with the adjuvanted quadrivalent subunit influenza vaccine produced antibodies against all four influenza viruses included in the vaccine; the mean antibody titers in the hemagglutination inhibition assay were above 1 : 40. The second-dose vaccination induced a significant increase in levels of antibodies against all four influenza viruses. The dose of the quadrivalent subunit adjuvanted vaccine containing 5 µg of each antigen and 200 µg of the adjuvant provided a 100% survival rate in mice and significantly decreased lung viral titers (more than 3 lg TCID50) in the mouse model of influenza pneumonia.Conclusion. The quadrivalent subunit vaccine with the betulin-based corpuscular adjuvant demonstrates high immunogenicity in laboratory mice and provides protection against fatal pneumonia caused by the influenza A virus subtype H1N1.

The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has become a global challenge to medicine and, in particular, laboratory diagnostics. The study of the antibodies’ level to SARS-CoV-2 can be used as a confirmation test in the diagnosis of a disease, but it becomes of paramount importance in assessing population immunity resulting from a disease or vaccination, as well as in selection of convalescent plasma donors. The kits developed in our country and abroad for detecting antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus differ both in the methods of testing and in the used coronavirus antigens to which the antibodies are directed. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of five kits for the detection of IgG antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, based on different diagnostic methods. Serum samples from 137 COVID-19 convalescents and 166 donors of blood and its components were examined. The control group consisted of 50 blood sera collected at the beginning of 2019 and 19 sera collected in 2018 (before the advent of the SARS-CoV-2 virus) and stored at -70 °C. Testing was carried out in analytical systems: rapid test “COVID-19 IgM/IgG Rapid Test (Colloidal Gold)” (China), on an automatic immunochemical analyzer Abbott Architect™ i2000 and kit “SARS-CoV2-IgG” (Abbot, Chicago , IL USA), by the chemiluminescence method using an automatic analyzer of the CL series and kits of the “Mindray” company (China) “SARS-CoV-2 IgM” and “SARS-CoV-2 IgG” and by the enzyme immunoassay method on the kits of the companies “Diagnostic Systems” Ltd (Russia, Nizhny Novgorod) “DS-IFA-ANTI-SARS-CoV-2-G”, “Xema” Ltd (Federal State Budgetary Institution “National Medical Research Center of Hematology” of the Ministry of Health of Russia) “SARS-CoV-2-IgG-IFA” and “Vector-Best” CJSC (Russia, Novosibirsk)” SARS-COV-2-IgM-IFA-BEST” and “SARS-COV-2-IgG-IFABEST”. When comparing the results of testing 137 plasma samples on the Vector-Best and Mindray kits for IgG antibodies, 127 samples were positive, 7 samples were negative on both kits, the discrepancy was 2.2%. In the study of IgM antibodies, 32.1% were positive, and 52.6% were negative in both kits. The discrepancy rate was 15.3%. Out of 166 samples, 1 serum (0.6%) was negative in 5 kits. On the Mindray kit, IgG antibodies to the antigens of the SARS-CoV-2 virus were detected in 165 samples (99.4%), on Vector-Best – in 164 sera (98.8%), on Diagnostic systems – in 151 (90.96%), on Xema – in 154 (92.8%), and on Abbott – in 155 samples (93.4%). At the same time, 135 (81.33%) samples were positive in all kits, while 30 samples had discordant results (18.07%), and in 9 sera, specific IgG was not detected in 2 or more kits. ROC analysis revealed a high diagnostic value of all tested kits (AUC from 0.908 to 0.998), which indicates a high quality of the separation model of positive and negative samples (p < 0.001). With the cut-off set by the manufacturers, the sensitivity and specificity ranged from 82.8% and 93.3% for the Diagnostic Systems kit to 99.4% and 95.8% for the VectorBest kit. The calculated correlation coefficients were higher between kits with a similar composition of the antigen used in the kits; therefore, it is better to monitor the dynamics of antibodies by diagnostic kits from the same manufacturer.

Most researchers agree that the level of protective anti-HBs decreases with age after 3-fold immunization in the first year of life, which requires the introduction of a booster dose at least 5—7 years after the completed vaccination. It is necessary to continue monitoring those vaccinated against hepatitis B in the first year of life, including those from occupational risk groups.Objective: to assess the frequency and level of anti-HBs 18 or more years after the completed course of vaccination against hepatitis B according to the standard scheme in the first year of life and to identify risk groups that need revaccination.Of 116 donor students in Moscow, 18—22 years after the completed course of vaccination against hepatitis B according to the standard scheme carried out in the first year of life, in 42.3% of cases, the titer of specific antibodies was determined below the protective level (< 10 mME/ml). At the same time, the share of seronegative individuals among medical students was higher (52.8%). Of 116 donor students, in 38.8% of cases, the titer of protective antibodies was determined in low (10—100 mME/ml) and only in 13.8% — in high (100—1000 mME/ml) and in 5.2% — very high (> 1000 mME/ml) values. Markers of DNA HBV, HBsAg, and anti-HBcor were not detected in any cases. Medical students primarily need a revaccination against hepatitis B without a preliminary study of the initial titers of specific antibodies.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic COVID-19, many studies have been conducted to examine how education has responded to the challenges of a completely new situation that has led to the spread of distance education as the only form of instruction. In this study, data were collected and analyzed to understand the difficulties of distance education that higher education students faced during the pandemic. Our goal was to present the results of a socio-psychological study of accessibility, educational resources, applications, and distance learning technologies. A total of 160 students from different Moscow universities participated in the study. A qualitative research method was used for the study. For this purpose, mainly in-depth interviews were conducted to find out the participants’ views on distance education. The data obtained were analyzed by the researchers using qualitative analysis methods. The results showed that all students faced technical difficulties during distance learning, such as poor internet connection, lack of access to online platforms due to the high number of users, lack of necessary equipment, and individual space for online learning. The results also showed low technical readiness for distance education and low quality of online resources, as well as cyber threats during online courses. In addition, the results showed that most students indicated that they would prefer a hybrid form of instruction that combines distance and face-to-face instruction. Implications for further studies are drawn in the conclusion.

The article concerns the problem of studying the causes of the development of hemolytic reactions after transfusion of erythrocyte-containing blood components. The ways of preventing hemolysis as a result of blood transfusions are considered. Clinical cases are described.

Introduction. Due to the growing number of polyantibiotic-resistant strains of microorganisms, the issue of improving the tactics of local treatment of soft tissue wounds without the use of antibiotic therapy is gaining more and more urgency in surgery.Aim. To study the dependence of the antiseptic effect of chitosan-based wound dressings on the degree of their biodegradation and to evaluate the prospects for the use of such dressings for the treatment of purulent wounds.Materials and methods. The object of the study was wound dressings with incorporated antiseptic polyhexanide (PH) based on chitosan of two types: unstabilized (Ch-H-PH) and stabilized by cross-linking with glutaric aldehyde (Ch-H-GA-PH). The antimicrobial activity spectrum was investigated in vitro by disk-diffusion method using test cultures of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The directionality of biodegradation was studied by scanning electron microscopy.Results and discussion. Stabilized Ch-H-GA-PH samples had prolonged antimicrobial action due to longer biodegradation times (max – 36–48 h; p ≤ 0.05), while Ch-H-PH samples due to high hydrophilicity of the material biodegraded early and realized the full antimicrobial potential within 24 hours (max – 12 h; p ≤ 0.05). The obtained results correlated with the data provided in the foreign researchers’ publications on the investigation of the properties of biopolymer materials used as matrix carriers for drugs, and in terms of addressing the search for strategies to combat poly-antibiotic resistance in surgical practice.Conclusion. Application of wound dressing s of antiseptic type of action on the basis of chitosan with different parameters of biodegradation will allow to realize a programmed approach to treatment of purulent wounds of soft tissues in a personalized way depending on a specific clinical situation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has grown a worldwide health concern and has imposed a significant impact on education. As a result, halfway through the second semester of 2019/2020, learning methods were delivered through distance learning (DL). The purpose of the paper is to study the specifics of online education during the Covid-19 pandemic. A comprehensive diagnostic study of the psychological characteristics of students included the following methods: the test of life-meaning orientations (LMO), adapted by D.A. Leontiev (2006), diagnostics of the motivational structure of personality. Based on the results of the conducted empirical research, duration of study influenced student preference. Plus, Higher number of first-year students preferred DL compared to their seniors. Notwithstanding some challenges, students could adjust to the new education methods of full DL, and the majority recognized combined learning that combined classroom and distance learning can be performed subsequently. The COVID-19 pandemic transforms the application of technology in education and teaching approaches in the near future.

Aim. The aim of the study is evaluate of reactogenicity, safety and immunogenicity of the native combined vaccine DTaP-HepB+Hib. Materials and methods. Assessment of reactogenicity, safety and immunogenicity of the drug is investigated in a multicenter, comparative, randomized, simple-blind clinical trial of immunization of children 6 months (the comparator vaccine DTaP-HepB combined vaccine, Hiberix®). Results. The native combined vaccine DTaP-HepB+Hib is characterized by good tolerability, high safety profile and a pronounced immunogenicity. In terms of seroprotection, seroconversion and geometric mean titers of antibodies comparable to that used in Russia of vaccines DTP-HBV and Hiberix®. Conclusion. Vaccine DTaP-HepB+Hib can be recommended for registration in the territory of the Russian Federation for the prevention of pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B and Hib-infection.

Rationale: Chronic pancreatitis is characterized by progression with gradual insufficiency of pancreas and can be associated with complications. Various clinical signs and symptoms of the disease may affect patient's quality of life.Aim: To assess quality of life in various groups of patients with chronic pancreatitis, living in the Moscow Region, who have uncomplicated and complicated course of the disease, depending on their compliance level, compared to that in patients regularly seen by doctors of other specialities.Materials and methods: One hundred patients with chronic pancreatitis living in the Moscow Region completed the Medical Outcomes Study – Short Form (MOS SF-36) questionnaire.Results: In chronic pancreatitis patients, there was a clear decrease in quality of life parameters on all subscales. It was found that the presence of any complications did not contribute to deterioration of quality of life, with no significant difference in quality of life parameters in any subscale (р > 0.05). Quality of life was better in the patients who were fully adherent to their treatment (n = 28). In non-compliant patients (n = 72), there was a significant decrease (р < 0,05) of the following quality of life parameters: physical role functioning (29 points), emotional role functioning (45 points), as well as general health (32 points), pain intensity (44 points) and social functioning (51 point). Patients who were regularly seen by a gastroenterologist, had better quality of life (р < 0.05), compared to those seen by an internist, on the following subscales: physical role functioning (56 and 29 points, respectively), pain (60 and 45), general health (46 and 31), vitality (48 and 32), social functioning (69 and 52), emotional functioning (75 and 46). In patients who had not been regularly seen by any doctor, there was a statistically significant decrease in quality of life (р < 0.05) on the same subscales (0, 24, 17, 22, 35, 17 points, respectively). Conclusion: To improve quality of life in patients with chronic pancreatitis, it is necessary to increase the level of doctor's knowledge in pancreatology, to improve patient adherence to treatment, to ensure regular visit to doctors, as well as to establish the continuity of treatment from an in-patient to an out-patient unit.

An increase in the spread of antibiotic-resistant opportunistic microorganisms causes serious problems in the treatment of purulent infections, burns, and trophic ulcers. We tested the antimicrobial activity in vivo of three polyphenols, Resveratrol, Dihydroquercetin (Taxifolin), and Dihydromyricetin (Ampelopsin) from Norway spruce bark to promote the elimination of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans from wounds. Purulent infection was modelled on wounds in rats infected with suspensions containing 109 CFU (colony-forming unit)/mL of pathogens. The wound area was treated daily with solutions of the polyphenols or placebo for 14 days after the beginning of the treatment. The animals were examined daily, and each stage of the wound healing (inflammation, granulation, and maturation (marginal epithelialisation) was documented. The planimetric analysis of the wound recovery percentage was performed on the 3rd, 10th, and 14th day after the start of curing. Then, one echelon (three or four animals from each subgroup) was withdrawn from the experiment on days 3 (three animals), 10 (three animals), and 14 (four animals) for microscopy analysis of cytological composition of their wound defects by microscopy and microbiological analysis of their contamination with pathogens. Our results show that they are also able to suppress mast cell infiltration and stimulate lymphocyte and macrophage (monocyte) infiltration into the wound. Resveratrol stimulated the replacement of the scar with normal tissue (with a clear boundary between the dermis and epidermis) and the restoration of hair follicles. Resveratrol turned out to be significantly better than some commercial antimicrobial (Levomecol) and antifungal (Clotrimazole) ointments and can be proposed as a promising drug for topical use for the treatment of trophic ulcers and burns.

This article for the first time publishes the Treatise on Names from the little known redaction of the nomocanon (Kormchaia). In the Treatise the unknown author protests against the widespread use of non-Christian names in his time, such as Tomilo, Shumilo, etc., and he says that it is unacceptable for a Christian to have any name other than the one he received at baptism. He allows adding to the name only some indications of a person’s trade, his fatherland or place of origin. In this article the author analyzes the manuscript tradition of the Kirillo-Belozersk redaction that occurred no later than the first quarter of the 17th century. The redaction is the shortened text of the Canon norms of the Daniil’s redaction. Thus its composition is expanded by sections addressing real-life problems, such as: icons painted by “infidels,” unrighteous wealth, and impious names. The paper also examines the issue of the attribution of the titles of this version, which historians formerly had ascribed to Maximus the Greek.

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is one of the priority healthcare problems. Conservative therapy of CP today remains a challenge due to a variety of etiologies and pathogenetic mechanisms. Currently, there are no well-established algorithms for the treatment of CP; healthcare practitioner has to choose the most effective drug combinations for the treatment of the particular patient.

The effect of a number of vinyl-containing organosilicon compounds used as the Speier catalyst additives upon the activity of the resulting catalyst was studied. The most active additives turned out to be hexavinyldisiloxane, tetramethyldivinyldisiloxane, and dimethyldivinylsilane. It was found also that the activity of the Speier catalyst additives depends on the method of the catalyst preparation