Immunological Criteria for Predicting Severe and Complicated Forms of Chickenpox.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of mediators of the immune response, cellular immunity, and phagocytic activity in patients with chickenpox with various values of the clinical and laboratory parameters and propose criteria for predicting the severity and complications of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The blood levels of pro-inflammatory mediators were evaluated by ELISA using monoclonal antibodies (Protein Contour, Russia). RESULTS: The inflammatory mediators and neutrophil chemiluminescence were studied in patients with either presence or absence of Varicella zoster DNA. We found that in patients with positive viral DNA, the levels of IFN-α and IFN-γ were significantly lower compared to patients with negative DNA results. Thus, complications of chickenpox, in particular secondary viral-bacterial pneumonia, can be predicted based on low (less than double-normal) levels of IL-6 and IFN-γ, induced chemiluminescence, CD16, and CD20. This type of immune response indicates the state of immune deficiency with prevailing suppression of the T-effector and phagocytic mechanisms in these patients. CONCLUSION: Prognosis of the development of severe and complicated forms of chickenpox can be based on the insufficiently increased (less than two normal values) levels of IL-6 and IFN-γ, induced chemiluminescence, CD16, and CD20. These relatively low levels are indicative of reduced immune response to the infection, which may require additional immune correcting therapy.

Identification of toxic Cyanobacteria in Lake Baikal.

Cyanobacteria of the genera Anabaena and Microcystis, containing genes for the synthesis of-microcystins (hepatotoxic cyanotoxins) were found for the first time in the coastal zone of Lake Baikal near-the village of Turka, where a tourism and recreational complex were constructed. According to the enzyme-immunoassay, microcystin concentration in water was 0.17 ± 0.01 µg/L. Using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing, we found 3936 sequences in the eubacterial community of central basin of Lake Baikal. The summer bacterioplankton in both littoral and pelagic areas of the lake was dominated by the phylum Cyanobacteria, whereas a higher diversity of cyanobacteria was recorded in the plankton of the littoral zone. Moreover, the-potentially toxic Anabaena and Microcystis were detected in this area.

[Genetic diversity of cyanophages of the Myoviridae family as a constituent of the associated community of the Baikal sponge Lubomirskia baicalensis].

Molecular-genetic analysis of cyanophages of the family Myoviridae from the associated community of the endemic Baikal sponge Lubomirskia baicalensis was carried out based on the g20 gene fragment. A large cyanophage diversity according to the g20 marker gene was found in the sponge. The Baikal sponge cyanophages were shown to be similar to those inhabiting plankton. Moreover, specific cyanophage groups that are significantly different from all of the known groups inhabiting the Lake Baikal were revealed.

[Molecular-and-genetic diversity of cyanophages of the family Myoviridae in Lake Hovsgol (Mongolia)].

Cyanophages of the family Myoviridae were studied in Lake Hovsgol based on the analysis of g20 gene fragments. The analysis revealed the diversity of g20 cyanomyovirus sequences in Lake Hovsgol. It was found a great similarity of genes from the Lake Hovsgol and Lake Baikal. Distribution of closely related virus strains in these water bodies is attributed to close geographical location, direct water connection and similar hydrochemical parameters of the lakes.

[Evaluation of a pharmaceutical care program to improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy]. / Evaluación de un programa de atención farmacéutica dirigido a mejorar la adherencia al tratamiento antirretroviral.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the impact of a pharmaceutical care program on the improvement of adherence to antiretroviral therapy, and on patient immunologic and virologic outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter, observational, prospective study in a HIV-infected patient cohort under treatment with antiretrovirals selected by random sampling in 19 Spanish hospitals. The study lasted 12 months, in which the program was applied through a baseline preprocedural visit and 4 quarterly visits. Adherence estimation was based on pill counting. An adherence > or = 90, or > or = 95% was considered adequate (in two time points). RESULTS: 541 patients were included, most of them were males (68.8%) between 20 and 78 years of age. Major risk groups included injecting drug users (43.4%) and heterosexuals (29.4%). Sixty percent had already received treatment for more than 3 years. Mean baseline viral load and CD4 count values were 32,866 copies/ml and 485 cells/mm3, respectively. Throughout the study a slight increase in the percentage of adherent patients was seen; however, statistical significance was not reached (64.3 and 79.2% of patients showed an adherence > 95 and > 90%, respectively, during the fourth quarter, versus 59.8 and 75.5% at baseline). A statistically significant decrease in viral load and increase in CD4 cells was seen following program application. The percentage of patients with a viral load < 200 copies/ml was 72.2, 76.7, and 75.0% at the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters, respectively, versus 64.2% at baseline. CD4 cell counts increased by 50 cells/mm3 on average from the start to the end of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Patients included in the program had a good immunologic and virologic outcome, and a trend towards an increased percentage of patients with good adherence was also seen. These results confirm the need to implement follow-up programs for patients receiving antiretrovirals in order to ensure maximum therapeutic benefits.

[Molecular-genetic comparison of morbilliviruses which caused epizooty in Baikal (Phoca siberica) and Caspian (Phoca caspica) seals]. / Molekuliarno-geneticheskoe sravnenie morbillivirusov, vyzvavshikh épizootii baikal'skikh (Phoca sibirica) i kaspiiskikh (Phoca caspica) tiulenei.

The nucleotide sequences were determined for a phosphoprotein gene fragment of canine distemper virus (CDV) by using the RT-PCR method with the subsequent sequencing of amplicons from total RNA isolated from 2 samples of Caspian seals, 15 samples of Baikal seals and from samples of dog's and sea-lion's brains. The above materials were phylogenetically analyzed. The heterogeneity of the virus circulating in the Baikal-seal population was demonstrated. Morbillivirus, that caused epizooty in Caspian seals, was shown to be a CDV variant, whose phosphoprotein gene structure was not different, within the analyzed stretch, from the corresponding gene of the most widespread variant of the Baikal seal virus. The data obtained suggest that morbillivirus could be transmitted by birds during their seasonal migrations.

[Analysis of genetic variability of strains of tick-borne encephalitis virus by primary structure of a fragment of the membrane protein E gene]. / Analiz geneticheskoi éntsefalita po pervichnoi strukture fragmenta gena belka obolochki E.

Primary structures of gene fragments of E protein (160 n.b.) have been determined for 29 tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) strains isolated from different parts of a territory. Analysis of homology of nucleotide sequences of these strains and data on 6 TBE strains published by other authors showed that they can be divided into 6 groups (genotypes) by the following gene typing criteria: strain structure within the genotypes differing by no more than 9%, differences between strains of different genotypes are at least 12%. Based on these criteria, the prototype strains of the Far Eastern antigenic variant (Sofyin), Central European antigenic variant (Neudoerfle), and Vergina strain form different genotypes 1, 2, and 6, respectively. East Siberian strain Aina and Ural Siberian strain Lesopark-II belong to the same TBE virus genotype 3; two-thirds of analyzed strains belong to this genotype. Genotype 4 is represented by one strain 178-79, and genotype 5 by strain 886-84, both isolated in East Siberia.

[Genetic typing of tick-borne encephalitis virus based on an analysis of the levels of homology of a membrane protein gene fragment]. / Genticheskoe tipirovanie shtammov virusa kleshchevogo éntsefalita na osnove analiza urovnei gomologii fragmenta gena belka obolochki.

All heretofore known genomic structures of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus are analyzed. The authors prove the adequacy of using short fragment of E protein gene for characterization of philogenetic relationships between TBE strains. Three main genotypes of the virus are distinguished, one corresponding to Far Eastern variant, one to West, and the third includes strains belonging to Ural Siberian and Central Siberian and Transbaikal variants. Results of genetic typing by nucleotide sequences are confirmed by analysis of amino acid sequences of E protein fragments, specific marker amino acids in definite positions being determined for each genotype.

Analysis of the haemagglutinin gene of current wild-type canine distemper virus isolates from Germany.

The haemagglutinin (H) gene sequences from three wild-type canine distemper viruses (CDV) isolated during 1994-1995 were sequenced to determine whether contemporary strains had undergone significant genetic changes relative to the currently used vaccine strains. The new isolates were closely related to each other (> 99%) and displayed about 90-91% sequence homology to the Onderstepoort and Convac vaccine strains. There were one to four additional potential glycosylation sites compared to the vaccine strains which were also present in a German dog CDV isolate dating from 1990. However, only a very slight reduction in neutralizing titre against the new isolates was found when compared with the Onderstepoort and Rockborn vaccine strains. Cysteine and proline residues were well conserved indicating a conserved three dimensional structure for the protein. By phylogenetic analysis the recent isolates showed a narrow clustering close to the previous canine isolates indicating a linear pattern of evolutionary changes. A comparison with published CDV H gene sequences suggested the presence of different lineages of CDV on a global scale and possible cocirculation of more than one genotype of CDV.