[Parameters of the CD4-Cell count and viral load in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infected patients].

In this work the specific features of parameters of plasma CD4 T-lymphocytes count and level virus RNA in the HIV-infected patients were studied. 22% correlation between reduction of CD4 cell count and an increase in virus RNA level was observed in persons that did not receive antiretroviral treatment during the third HIV-infection phase. During this phase of infection patients exhibited a growth of the median value of virus load in cases of both rise as decline in CD4 cell count during long observation period. In addition, towards the end of the observation period, the percentage of patients with virus load > 3.3 Ig copies/ml considerably expanded. 43% correlation between CD4 cell count and duration of the HIV-infection was detected during the fourth infection phase in persons that did not receive antiretroviral treatment. Most of the patients in the third and the fourth infection phases had essential CD4 cell count growth during antiretroviral treatment. Best values were observed in patients with the initial value of CD4 > 400 cells/µl belonging to the third HIV-infection phase.

[Molecular genetic characteristics of HIV-1 in Russia]. / Molekuliarno-geneticheskaia kharakteristika VICh-1 na territorii Rossii.

The paper presents data on the variants of human immunodefficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) currently circulating in Russia. The subtype A HIV-1 variant dominating is shown to be most widespread among drug-injected users in the most regions under study. By using the results of an analysis of 1,464 blood samples taken in the past 4 years in 69 subjects of the Russian Federation, the authors have estimated that this HIV-1 variant is responsible for 93% of all HIV-infection cases in the country. The greatest regional genetic diversity was observed in Moscow and its mean (2.35(1.59) was found to be comparable to that (2.41(1.85) in the whole country. Penetration of the subtype A IV-1 variant early detectable among drug-users into other risk groups was noted.

Serological approaches to subtyping of HIV-1 in injecting drug users in Russia: evidence of subtype homogeneity at the main sites of the epidemic.

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a simple V3 peptide-based enzyme immunoassay (PEIA) for large-scale serotyping of HIV-1 specimens derived from injecting drug users (IDUs) in the Russian Federation. Two synthetic peptides were evaluated, named P1 (RKSIHIGPGRAFYATGD) and P2 (RTSVRIGPGQVFYKTGD), in an PEIA on 63 HIV-1 IDUs sera for which genotypes had been determined by heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) and sequencing. The sensitivities of P1 (subtype B) and P2 (subtype A) were 87% and 75% respectively. Specificity of the assay was 100% for both peptides, with 100% predictive values of a monoreactive positive test for both peptides. Using the PEIA with peptides P1 and P2, we have serotyped 375 of 477 serum samples derived from IDUs in 4 main sites of the HIV-1 epidemic in Russia. The results demonstrated a high level of subtype homogeneity in all regions studied. In 3 of 4 territories, Tver' (n=345), and Rostov-on-Don (n=61) regions, and Krasnodar Kray (n=27), 100% of typable sera were found to belong to env subtype A. On the other hand, all specimens serotyped in the Kaliningrad region (n=38) belonged to env subtype B, and there is strong evidence that the recombinant gagAenvB virus which has caused the largest outbreak of HIV-1 in Russia is located in this region. At the present time another parental strain with gagBenvB genotype is of minor importance in the IDUs HIV-1 epidemic in Russia.

[A genetic analysis of variants of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) circulating among drug abusers in Moscow and Moscow Province]. / Geneticheskii analiz variantov virusa immunodefitsita cheloveka tipa 1 (VICh-1), tsirkuliruiushchikh sredi narkomanov v Moskve i Moskovskoi oblasti.

The genetic analysis of the variants of human immunodeficiency virus of type 1 (HIV-1), circulating among drug addicts in Moscow and Moscow Province, has been carried out. The serological analysis of 122 blood specimens taken from HIV-infected drug addicts, residing in Moscow and 22 settlements of the Moscow region, has shown that in this region HIV-1 variant of subtype A spreads among drug addicts. These data have been confirmed by the results of the analysis of 44 specimens, made with the use of the method of the heteroduplex mobility assay for gene env. As revealed in this study, HIV-1 variants spreading at present among drug addicts in Moscow and the Moscow region are genetically related to viruses of subtype A, detected earlier in this group of risk in other regions of Russia, the Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of Eastern Europe.

[Molecular-epidemiological characteristics of basic foci of the HIV epidemic among substance abusers in Russia]. / Molekuliarno-épidemiologicheskaia kharakteristika osnovnykh ochagov épidemii VICh-infektsii sredi narkomanov v Rossii.

A serological test has been developed, allowing a rapid and reliable differentiation between envA and envB genotypes in the sera from HIV-1-infected IDUs and their sexual partners. We analyzed 556 specimens from HIV-1-seropositive IDUs and their sexual partners. The sera were collected in five regions of Russia with the greatest number of HIV-1-infected IDUs. High homogeneity of HIV-1 in each of the regions was observed. In Tver, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, and Krasnodar 100% sera tested belonged to the env subtype A. All the patients from the Kalinigrad region were infected with the env subtype B virus, which is apparently a recombinant.

[Presence of HTLV-I antibodies in patients with sexually transmitted diseases]. / Nalichie antitel k HTLV-I u patsientov s zabolevaniiami, peredaiushchimisia polovym putem.

The prevalence of human T-lymphotropic type I virus (HTLV-I) among patients with sexually-transmitted diseases is studied in Russia. Primary screening of antibodies to HTLV-I in the sera was carried out by enzyme immunoassay with recombinant gag and env HTLV-I-specific antigens synthesized in Escherichia coli. For secondary screening, Serodia HTLV-I and Vironostika Microelisa System kits were used. None of the 1271 serum samples collected in the towns of Perm and Ekaterinburg was HTLV-I-positive. This indicates a lower, in comparison with other European countries, level of infection with this virus, at least in this region of Russia. Testing of sera from 79 HIV-infected patients revealed none infected with HTLV-I.

[The effect of the blood serum factors of HIV-infected persons on the functional activity of the neutrophils in healthy donors]. / Vliianie faktorov syvorotki krovi VICh-infitsirovannykh lits na funktsional'nuiu aktivnost' neitrofilov zdorovykh donorov.

The influence of 64 blood serum samples from HIV-infected patients at different stages of the infection on the functional activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) of 9 healthy donors was studied. In this study an increase in the production of oxygen radicals by PMN of the donors was revealed (in the chemiluminescence test), positive correlations between this increase and stages of HIV infection were followed. The presence of HIV-positive serum in the incubation medium led to the inhibition of phagocytosis and produced almost no changes in the capacity of PMN for its completion. A decrease in phagocytosis correlated with the level of complement and did not depend on other serum factors; on the contrary, an increase in chemiluminescence was not linked with the levels of complement, but had correlative relationships with the levels of anti-HIV antibodies and circulating immune complexes.

[The clinical manifestations of HIV infection during seroconversion]. / Klinicheskie proiavleniia VICh-infektsii v periode serokonversii.

21 seroconversion HIV-infected subjects have been examined. 16 of them presented with acute symptoms. The disease in the period of seroconversion manifested with fever, weakness, headache, pain in the throat, enlargement of peripheral lymph nodes, polymorphous eruption. Typical mononucleosis-like syndrome occurred in 3 patients only. Half of the patients had subclinical disease, no eruption was seen. Because of clinical indications only 8 of 21 patients were examined for HIV infection. One-third of the patients in seroconversion had moderate thrombocytopenia, probably of autoimmune nature. Autoimmune disorder of the thyroid was registered in 1 patient. The diagnosis of acute HIV infection is not easy in view of rare occurrence of immunodeficiency typical for this infection. Candidiasis of the mucosa was seen in 37.5%, low levels of CD4-lymphocytes in 66.7% of the cases.

[The epidemiological surveillance of HIV infection in Russia in 1987-1991]. / Epidnadzor za VICh-infektsiei v Rossii v 1987--1991 gg.

The data on the occurrence of HIV in Russia in 1987-1991 are presented and the effects of the epidemiological surveillance system used at that time on the epidemiological process of HIV infection in the Russian Federation is evaluated. The most important features of that system included the centralized registration of all cases of HIV infection irrespective of the degree of clinical symptoms, large-scale obligatory examination of the population for antibody to HIV, epidemiological investigation of all reported cases of HIV infection. The occurrence of HIV infection in 1987-1991 in Russia remained very low, 0.335 per 100,000, showing no trend for increase. Owing to that system of the epidemiological surveillance of HIV infection in the USSR, nosocomial outbreaks were discovered which gave a rise in the number of recorded cases in 1989. In 1990-1991, changes in the structure of the epidemic process occurred. In those years, HIV transmission among homosexuals became most important, increasing from 22.4% to 47.8% which characterized the beginning of a new stage of the epidemic. On the whole, the epidemiological surveillance system for HIV in the USSR, 1987-1991, was effective, although it needs improvement including reconsideration of the population groups to be obligatorily examined for HIV antibody.