Revisiting epidemiology of leishmaniasis in central Asia: lessons learnt.

In this work we reviewed historical and recent data on Leishmania spp. infection combining data collected in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, China and Mongolia. We specifically focused on a complex of co-existing species (Leishmania major, Leishmania turanica and Leishmania gerbilli) sharing the same animal reservoirs and vectors. In addition, we analysed the presence of dsRNA viruses in these species and discussed future research directions to identify species-specific traits, which may determine susceptibility of different Leishmania spp. to viral infection.

Asia's glaciers are a regionally important buffer against drought.

The high mountains of Asia-encompassing the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, Pamir Alai, Kunlun Shan, and Tian Shan mountains-have the highest concentration of glaciers globally, and 800 million people depend in part on meltwater from them. Water stress makes this region vulnerable economically and socially to drought, but glaciers are a uniquely drought-resilient source of water. Here I show that these glaciers provide summer meltwater to rivers and aquifers that is sufficient for the basic needs of 136 million people, or most of the annual municipal and industrial needs of Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. During drought summers, meltwater dominates water inputs to the upper Indus and Aral river basins. Uncertainties in mountain precipitation are poorly known, but, given the magnitude of this water supply, predicted glacier loss would add considerably to drought-related water stress. Such additional water stress increases the risk of social instability, conflict and sudden, uncontrolled population migrations triggered by water scarcity, which is already associated with the large and rapidly growing populations and hydro-economies of these basins.

Widespread collapse, glimpses of revival: a scoping review of mental health policy and service development in Central Asia.

PURPOSE: We aimed to map evidence on the development of mental health care in Central Asia after 1991. METHOD: We conducted a scoping review complemented by an expert review. We searched five databases for peer-reviewed journal articles and conducted grey literature searching. The reference lists of included articles were screened for additional relevant publications. RESULTS: We included 53 articles (Kazakhstan: 13, Kyrgyzstan: 14, Tajikistan: 10, Uzbekistan: 9, Turkmenistan: 2, Multinational: 5). Only 9 were published in internationally recognised journals. In the 1990's mental health services collapsed following a sharp decline in funding, and historically popular folk services re-emerged as an alternative. Currently, modernised mental health policies exist but remain largely unimplemented due to lack of investment and low prioritisation by governments. Psychiatric treatment is still concentrated in hospitals, and community-based and psycho-social services are almost entirely unavailable. Stigma is reportedly high throughout the region, psychiatric myths are widespread, and societal awareness of human rights is low. With the exception of Kyrgyzstan, user involvement is virtually absent. After many years of stagnation, however, political interest in mental health is beginning to show, along with some promising service developments. CONCLUSIONS: There is a substantial knowledge gap in the region. Informed decision-making and collaboration with stakeholders is necessary to facilitate future reform implementation.

Shimazuella alba sp. nov. isolated from desert soil and emended description of the genus Shimazuella Park et al. 2007.

A novel, Gram-stain-positive bacterium, designated KC615T, was isolated from desert soil which was collected from the Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan. Phylogenetic analysis based on an almost-complete 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that isolate KC615T formed a monophyletic clade with Shimazuella kribbensis KCTC 9933T, sharing 98.2% similarity and polyphasic taxonomic studies confirmed the affiliation of the strain to the genus Shimazuella. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. Whole-cell hydrolysates contained ribose and glucose. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and hydroxy-phosphatidylethanolamine. The predominant menaquinones (> 10%) were MK-9(H4) and MK-10(H4). Major fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0, C20:0 and C18:0. The genomic DNA G + C content observed for strain KC615T was 38.5 mol%. Based on 16S rRNA gene similarity, DNA-DNA hybridization value, chemotaxonomic characteristics and differential physiological properties, strain KC615T is considered to represent a novel species within the genus Shimazuella, for which the name Shimazuella alba sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KC615T (= JCM 33532T = CGMCC 4.7616T).

Polyphasic classification of Nonomuraea strains isolated from the Karakum Desert and description of Nonomuraea deserti sp. nov., Nonomuraea diastatica sp. nov., Nonomuraea longispora sp. nov. and Nonomuraea mesophila sp. nov.

Five actinobacteria isolates, KC201T, KC401, KC310T, KC712T and 6K102T, were recovered from the Karakum Desert during an investigation of novel actinobacteria with biotechnological potential. A polyphasic approach confirmed the affiliation of the strains to the genus Nonomuraea. The strains showed chemotaxonomic and morphological properties consistent with their classification in the genus Nonomuraea. Furthermore, these strains clearly distinguished and formed well supperted clades in phylogenetic and phylogenomic trees. Low ANI and dDDH values and distinguishing phenotypic properties between isolates KC201T, KC310T, KC712T and 6K102T showed that these strains belonged to novel Nonomuraea species, the names proposed for these taxa are Nonomuraea deserti sp. nov., Nonomuraea diastatica sp. nov., Nonomuraea longispora sp. nov. and Nonomuraea mesophila sp. nov., with the type strains KC310T (=CGMCC 4.7331T =DSM 102919T =KCTC 39774T), KC712T (=CGMCC 4.7334T =DSM 102925T =KCTC 39776), KC201T (=CGMCC 4.7339T =DSM 102917T =KCTC 39781T) and 6K102T (=CGMCC 4.7541T =JCM 32916), respectively.

Streptomyces cahuitamycinicus sp. nov., isolated from desert soil and reclassification of Streptomyces galilaeus as a later heterotypic synonym of Streptomyces bobili.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated 13K301T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from the Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan. The taxonomic position of strain 13K301T was revealed by using a polyphasic approach. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain 13K301T belongs to the genus Streptomyces and had highest sequence similarity to 'Streptomyces qaidamensis' S10T (99.2 %), Streptomyces flavovariabilis NRRL B-16367T (98.9 %) and Streptomyces phaeoluteigriseus DSM 41896T (98.8 %), but the strain formed a distinct clade in the phylogenetic tree. The DNA-DNA relatedness and average nucleotide identity values as well as evolutionary distances based on multilocus (atpD, gyrB, recA, rpoB and trpB) sequences between strain 13K301T and closely related type strains were significantly lower than the recommended threshold values. The cell wall contained ll-diaminopimelic acid and the whole-cell hydrolysates were glucose and ribose. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol were determined as the predominant polar lipids. The major menaquinones were identified as MK-9(H8) and MK-9(H6). On the basis of these genotypic and phenotypic data, it is proposed that strain 13K301T should be classified as representative of a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces cahuitamycinicus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 13K301T (=DSM 106873T=KCTC 49110T). In addition, the whole genome-based comparisons as well as the multilocus sequence analysis revealed that the type strains of Streptomyces galilaeus and Streptomyces bobili belong to a single species. It is, therefore, proposed that S. galilaeus be recognised as a heterotypic synonym of S. bobili for which an emended description is given.

Genome-based classification of three novel actinobacteria from the Karakum Desert: Jiangella asiatica sp. nov., Jiangella aurantiaca sp. nov. and Jiangella ureilytica sp. nov.

Three isolates, 5K138T, 8K307T and KC603T, with typical morphological characteristics of members of the genus Jiangella were obtained during a study searching for novel actinobacteria with biosynthetic potential from the Karakum Desert. A polyphasic approach was adopted to determine taxonomic affiliations of the strains. The strains showed chemotaxonomic properties consistent with their classification as representing members of the genus Jiangella such as ll-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall peptidoglycan, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol as major polar lipids as well as MK-9(H4) as a major menaquinone. Pairwise sequence comparisons of the 16S rRNA genes showed that the strains were closely related to Jiangella alba DSM 45237T, Jiangella rhizosphaerae NEAU-YY265T and Jiangella mangrovi 3SM4-07T with higher than 99 % sequence identities. However, a combination of phenotypic and phylogenetic approaches as well as genome-based comparative analyses confirmed the taxonomic positions of these strains as representing distinct species within the genus Jiangella. Therefore, strains 5K138T, 8K307T and KC603T should each be classified as representing a novel species within the genus Jiangella, for which the names Jiangella asiatica sp. nov., Jiangella aurantiaca sp. nov. and Jiangella ureilytica sp. nov. are proposed, respectively. The type strains of the proposed novel species are as follows: Jiangella asiatica 5K138T (=JCM 33518T=CGMCC 4.7672T), Jiangella aurantiaca 8K307T (=JCM 33519T=CGMCC 4.7621T) and Jiangella ureilytica KC603T (=JCM 33520T=CGMCC 4.7618T).

Micromonospora deserti sp. nov., isolated from the Karakum Desert.

An isolate, 13K206T, with typical morphological characteristics of the genus Micromonospora was obtained during a study searching for novel actinobacteria with biosynthetic potential from the Karakum Desert. A polyphasic approach was adopted to determine taxonomic affiliation of the strain. The strain showed chemotaxonomical properties consistent with its classification in the genus Micromonospora such as meso- and 3-OH-A2pm in the cell-wall peptidoglycan, xylose in whole-cell hydrolysate and diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol as major polar lipids. The results of phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strain was closely related to 'Micromonospora spongicola' S3-1T, Micromonospora nigra DSM 43818T and Micromonospora yasonensis DS3186T with sequence similarities of 98.6, 98.5 and 98.4 %, respectively. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity analyses in addition to gyrB gene analysis confirmed the assignment of the strain to a novel species within the genus Micromonospora for which the name Micromonospora deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 13K206T (=JCM 32583T=DSM 107532T). The DNA G+C content of the type strain is 72.4 mol%.

Elucidation of the origin of 'agriocrithon' based on domestication genes questions the hypothesis that Tibet is one of the centers of barley domestication.

Wild barley forms a two-rowed spike with a brittle rachis whereas domesticated barley has two- or six-rowed spikes with a tough rachis. Like domesticated barley, 'agriocrithon' forms a six-rowed spike; however, the spike is brittle as in wild barley, which makes the origin of agriocrithon obscure. Haplotype analysis of the Six-rowed spike 1 (vrs1) and Non-brittle rachis 1 (btr1) and 2 (btr2) genes was conducted to infer the origin of agriocrithon barley. Some agriocrithon barley accessions (eu-agriocrithon) carried Btr1 and Btr2 haplotypes that are not found in any cultivars, implying that they are directly derived from wild barley through a mutation at the vrs1 locus. Other agriocrithon barley accessions (pseudo-agriocrithon) carried Btr1 or Btr2 from cultivated barley, thus implying that they originated from hybridization between six-rowed landraces carrying btr1Btr2 and Btr1btr2 genotypes followed by recombination to produce Btr1Btr2. All materials we collected from Tibet belong to pseudo-agriocrithon and thus do not support the Tibetan Plateau as being a center of barley domestication. Tracing the evolutionary history of these allelic variants revealed that eu-agriocrithon represents six-rowed barley lineages that were selected by early farmers, once in south-eastern Turkmenistan (vrs1.a1) and again in the eastern part of Uzbekistan (vrs1.a4).

Kribbella turkmenica sp. nov., isolated from the Karakum Desert.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated 16K104T, was isolated from desert soil collected from the Karakum Desert and characterized using a polyphasic approach to clarify its taxonomic position. Strain 16K104T was found to have chemotaxonomic and morphological properties consistent with classification in the genus Kribbella. The strain shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Kribbella albertanoniae BC640T (99.2 %), and formed a branch with Kribbella antibiotica YIM 31530T in the 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic tree. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) using five housekeeping genes (gyrB, rpoB, relA, recA and atpD) for comparing the strain with all Kribbella type strains showed that the MLSA distances of strain 16K104T to the closely related type strains of the genus were much higher than the 0.04 threshold. The organism was found to contain ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The whole-cell sugars were identified as ribose and glucose. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H4). The major fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0. The results of digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity analyses, in addition to MLSA phylogenetic distances, confirmed that the strain represents a novel species of the genus Kribbella, for which the name Kribbella turkmenica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 16K104T (=JCM 32914T=KCTC 49224T).

Desertiactinospora gelatinilytica gen. nov., sp. nov., a new member of the family Streptosporangiaceae isolated from the Karakum Desert.

A novel, Gram-positive, spore-forming actinomycete, designated strain 7K107T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from the Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan. Strain 7K107T forms extensively branched substrate mycelia and aerial mycelia which differentiate into short chains of spores. The novel strain contains meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic wall amino acid and glucose, galactose, madurose and ribose as whole cell sugars. The predominant menaquinones were identified as MK-10(H4), MK-9(H4), MK-10(H6) and MK-9(H6). The polar lipids were found to be diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, glycolipids, phospholipids, unidentified lipids and an aminolipid. Major fatty acids were identified as C17:0 10-methyl and C14:0. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was determined to be 70.8%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain is a member of the family Streptosporangiaceae. The strain shares high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (96.2%) with Sphaerisporangium album YIM 48782T followed by Sphaerisporangium corydalis NEAU-YHS15T (96.0%) and Nonomuraea candida HMC10T (95.9%). However, phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA and gyrB genes, as well as whole genome comparison, confirmed the distinctiveness of the strain from closely related type strains of the genera Sphaerisporangium, Nonomuraea and Thermostaphylospora. On the basis of morphological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic as well as genomic analyses, strain 7K107T is concluded to represent a new genus within the family Streptosporangiaceae, for which the name Desertiactinospora gelatinilytica gen. nov., sp. nov is proposed. The type strain of D. gelatinilytica is 7K107T (= DSM 107423T = JCM 32585T = KCTC 49108T).

Strategies and approaches to vector control in nine malaria-eliminating countries: a cross-case study analysis.

BACKGROUND: There has been progress towards malaria elimination in the last decade. In response, WHO launched the Global Technical Strategy (GTS), in which vector surveillance and control play important roles. Country experiences in the Eliminating Malaria Case Study Series were reviewed to identify success factors on the road to elimination using a cross-case study analytic approach. METHODS: Reports were included in the analysis if final English language draft reports or publications were available at the time of analysis (Bhutan, Cape Verde, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Turkmenistan). A conceptual framework for vector control in malaria elimination was developed, reviewed, formatted as a matrix, and case study data was extracted and entered into the matrix. A workshop was convened during which participants conducted reviews of the case studies and matrices and arrived at a consensus on the evidence and lessons. The framework was revised and a second round of data extraction, synthesis and summary of the case study reports was conducted. RESULTS: Countries implemented a range of vector control interventions. Most countries aligned with integrated vector management, however its impact was not well articulated. All programmes conducted entomological surveillance, but the response (i.e., stratification and targeting of interventions, outbreak forecasting and strategy) was limited or not described. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) was commonly used by countries. There were several examples of severe reductions or halting of IRS coverage and subsequent resurgence of malaria. Funding and operational constraints and poor implementation had roles. Bed nets were commonly used by most programmes; coverage and effectiveness were either not measured or not articulated. Larval control was an important intervention for several countries, preventing re-introduction, however coverage and impact on incidence were not described. Across all interventions, coverage indicators were incomparable, and the rationale for which tools were used and which were not used appeared to be a function of the availability of funding, operational issues and cost instead of evidence of effectiveness to reduce incidence. CONCLUSIONS: More work is required to fill gaps in programme guidance, clarify the best methods for choosing and targeting vector control interventions, and support to measure cost, cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of vector surveillance and control interventions.

[MOSQUITOES (DIPTERA, PSYCHODIDAE, PHLEBOTOMINAE) IN CENTRAL ASIA: SPECIES COMPOSITION AND SPREAD].

Based on the data available in the literature and the results of their investigations, the authors analyzed the spread of mosquitoes in Central Asia (Kazikhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). It has been established that there are 27 mosquito species: P. papatasii, P. sergenti, P. caucasicus, P. mongolensis, P. andrejevi, P. alexandri, P. nuri, P. kandelakii, P. keshishiani, P. smirnovi, P. notus, P. wenioni, P. 1ongiductus, P. tuianicus, P. rupester, P. angustus, P. halepensis, P. zufagarensis, S. murgaitensis, S. dentata, S. pawlowsil, S. ciyda, S. pakistanica, S. sogdiana, S. sumbarica, S. grekovi, and G. dreyfussi turkestanica in this region. Five species of them (P. papatasii, P. sergenti, P. smirnovi, P. longiductus, and P. turanicus) are of medical importance. Maps of the spread of the species of medical importance have been compiled. Entomological observations should be made in individual areas of this region due to climate changes in the environment and to man-made interventions.

Early agriculture and crop transmission among Bronze Age mobile pastoralists of Central Eurasia.

Archaeological research in Central Eurasia is exposing unprecedented scales of trans-regional interaction and technology transfer between East Asia and southwest Asia deep into the prehistoric past. This article presents a new archaeobotanical analysis from pastoralist campsites in the mountain and desert regions of Central Eurasia that documents the oldest known evidence for domesticated grains and farming among seasonally mobile herders. Carbonized grains from the sites of Tasbas and Begash illustrate the first transmission of southwest Asian and East Asian domesticated grains into the mountains of Inner Asia in the early third millennium BC. By the middle second millennium BC, seasonal camps in the mountains and deserts illustrate that Eurasian herders incorporated the cultivation of millet, wheat, barley and legumes into their subsistence strategy. These findings push back the chronology for domesticated plant use among Central Eurasian pastoralists by approximately 2000 years. Given the geography, chronology and seed morphology of these data, we argue that mobile pastoralists were key agents in the spread of crop repertoires and the transformation of agricultural economies across Asia from the third to the second millennium BC.

Gestational diabetes in Turkmenistan: implementation of a screening program and first results.

PURPOSE: Data on the prevalence of gestational diabetes (GDM) is not available for Turkmenistan or any other central Asian country with large energy resources and rapidly increasing wealth and rates of obesity. We initiated a screening program to determine the prevalence of and the risk factors for GDM in Turkmenistan. METHODS: Between March 2008 and March 2011, all pregnant women presenting to the Ene-Maehri-Merkezi perinatal center in Ashgabat before week 34 of pregnancy received a glucose screening test (after 26 weeks of pregnancy; 50 g glucose). If 60-min glucose was ≥7.8 mmol/l, an oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT) (75gr) was performed. GDM was diagnosed if ≥1 glucose values were abnormal (≥5.0, ≥10.0, ≥8.0 mmol/l at 0-, 60-, 120-min, respectively). Birth weight, 30 min glucose, and APGAR (1, 5, and 10 min) were recorded for all newborns. RESULTS: Of 1,738 women, 22.7 % had a pathological screening test. 70 % of these, underwent an oGTT and of these, 39.5 % had GDM (overall prevalence 6.3 %). Age, BMI, parity, and blood pressure were associated with screening glucose (all p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, age, BMI, and family history for diabetes were associated with GDM. Newborns from affected mothers were heavier (3,622 ± 435 vs. 3,480 ± 464 g, p = 0.007) and developed postnatal hypoglycaemia more often (21.6 vs. 9.3 %, p = 0.001), while there was no difference in APGAR. CONCLUSIONS: GDM is a relevant problem in Turkmenistan and probably also in other central Asian countries. The prevalence is similar to other developing countries such as India or China. Risk factors are comparable to those determined in other parts of the world.

[Introgression of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers of Mus musculus musculus to aboriginal populations of wild mice from central Asia (M. m. wagneri) and south Siberia (M. m. gansuensis)].

Variability of the nucleotide sequences of the second intron of the b1-chain of hemoglobin (Hbb-b1) and complete control region of mitochondrial DNA (D-loop) was studied in aboriginal and commensal populations of M. m. wagneri from Central Asia and M. m. gansuensis from South Siberia. A difference in frequency of the hemoglobin Hbb(w1) type for natural and urban populations of mice was shown. All mice from natural habitats of studied areas kept musculus-type of mtDNA. Apparently, the substitution of taxonpecific mitochondrial haplotypes of wagneri and gansuensis might occur due to absorbing hybridization with nominate subspecies musculus, what is consistent with the results on nuclear DNA (Hbb-b1 gene) of this work. Two differentiated haplo groups among aboriginal subspecies wagneri were discovered first time (d = 0.01), one of which included house mice from Turkmenistan. This may indicate on mtDNA introgression from commensal forms of Turkmenistan into natural populations of Kazakhstan mice. The castaneus-type of mtDNA was detected in two individuals from the natural habitat of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, it had not been met in Central Asia before. It is suggested that the gene flow of nuclear and mitochondrial genomes in microevolution processes in M. musculus is directed from the commensal forms towards wild populations.

[Genetic characterization of the Syr-Darya valley fever virus (SDVFV) (Picornaviridae, Cardiovirus) isolated from the blood of the patients and ticks Hyalomma as. asiaticum (Hyalomminae), Dermacentor daghestanicus (Rhipicephalinae) (Ixodidae) and Ornithodoros coniceps (Argasidae) in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan].

The Syr-Darya valley fever virus (SDVFV) was originally isolated from the blood of the patient with fever in the Kyzylorda province, Kazakhstan, in July 1973 and was classified to the Cardiovirus genus (fam. Picornaviridae). Later, SDVFV was isolated from the ticks Hyalomma as. asiaticum Schulze et Schlottke, 1929 (Hyalomminae) (1 strain) and Dermacentor daghestanicus Olenev, 1929 (Rhipicephalinae) (7 strains), collected in the floodplains of the Syr-Darya river and the Ili river. In this paper, complet genome of the SDVFV (strain LEIV-Tur2833) was sequenced using the next-generation sequencing approach (GenBank ID: KJ191558). It was demonstrated that, phylogenetically, the SDVFV is closely related closest to the Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) and Vilyuisk human encephalomyelitis virus (VMEV). The similarity of the SDVFV with VHEV and TMEV based on P1 region of the polyprotein-precursor (structural proteins VP1-VP4), reaches 75% and 91% for nucleotide sequences and 80% and 93% for putative amino acid sequences, respectively. For nonstructural proteins regions P2 (2A-2C) and P3 (3A-3D) similarity of SDVFV with TMEV and VHEV is 96%-98%.

[Genetic characterization of the Wad Medani virus (WMV) (Reoviridae, Orbivirus), isolated from the ticks Hyalomma asiaticum Schulze et Schlottke, 1930 (Ixodidae: Hyalomminae) in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Armenia and from the ticks H. anatolicum Koch, 1844 in Tajikistan].

Near full-genome sequence of the Wad Medani Virus (WMV) (strain LEIV-8066Tur) (Orbivirus, Reoviridae) isolated from the ticks Hyalomma asiaticum Schulze et Schlottke, 1929, collected from sheep in Baharly district in Turkmenistan, was determined using next generation sequencing approach. The similarity of the RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (Pol, VP1) amino acid sequence between WMV and the Kemerovo group orbiviruses (KEMV), as well as of the Baku virus (BAKV), was 64%. The similarity of the conserved structural protein VP3 (T2) of WMV with mosquito-borne and tick-borne orbiviruses reaches 46% and 67%, respectively. For the surface proteins VP2, VP5, and VP7 (T13), which have major antigenic determinants of orbiviruses, the similarity of WMV with tickborne orbiviruses (KEMV and BAKV) is 26-30%, 45% and, 57%, respectively (ID GenBank: KJ425426-35).

[The distribution of the mosquitoes of the Anopheles maculipennis complex (Diptera, Culicidae, Anophelinae) in Central Asia].

The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method, cytogenetic analysis, and investigation of egg exochorion have indicated that three representatives of the Anopheles maculipennis complex (subgenus Anopheles): An artemievi Gordeev et al., An. messeae Falleroni, and An. marinius Shingarev. An. messeae is a European-Siberian species that has extended the southern border of its habitat and has been distributed in the south of Kazakhstan and in the north of Kyrgyzstan. In, Kyrgyzstan, An. messeae inhabiting the plains of Europe and Siberia is encountered rather high up in the mountains: the highest point where this species is found is at 1,879 m above sea level. An. artemievi is present in the highland and piedmont regions of Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, southern Kazakhstan, and northern Tajikistan) and in the intermountain basins (Naryn and Fergana ones). The single finding of this species is in south-eastern Turkmenistan. On the contrary, An. martinius tends to be in the plains and occurs in north-eastern Turkmenistan, Karakalpakstan, and Kazakhstan (Kzyl-Orda). On the other hand, a population of this species is found in proximity to the foothills of the Gissar Range in the east of Uzbekistan. An.maculipennis s.str. is not seen in Central Asia. Early evidence for the presence of both An. maculipennis s.str. and An. martinius in Kopet Dag (Southern Turkmenistan) is rather questionable. It is not improbable that these data are appropriate for either the newly described species An.persiensis or the scientifically new representative of the An. maculipennis complex.