Isolation and complete genome sequencing of rabies virus strain isolated from a brown bear (Ursus arctos) that attacked a human in Primorsky krai (November, 2014).

An attack of a brown bear (Ursus arctos) on human was detected in November, 2014 in the Barabash village (Khasan region of the Primorski krai) located in close proximity to the national park Land of the Leopard. The bear was shot. The deviant behavior of the bear indicated the possibility of rabies. The diagnosis was confirmed by means of laboratory methods. The strain RABV/Ursus arctos/Russia/Primorye/PO 01/2014 (further PO 01) was isolated from the brain of the bear. PO 01 is the first completely sequenced Far Eastern strain of RABV. It can be considered as topotypic. PO 01 considerably differs from the vaccine strain RV 97 (GenBank EF542830) that is the basis of attenuated vaccine applied in the Land of the Leopard. At the same time, the immunodominant sites in PO 01 and RV 97 proteins differ slightly. It can be recommended to continue application of the vaccine. The analysis of the PO 01 genome (GenBank KP997032) revealed its belonging to the Eurasian genetic subgroup of the genotype 1 (street rage). Thus, this genetic subgroup stretches to the East. Expansion of the cross-border protected territories of Russia and China in the Far East demands the correct statistics of circulation of the lyssaviruses to be kept.

[Complex environmental and virological monitoring in the Primorye Territory in 2003-2006].

The paper presents the results of monitoring of viruses of Western Nile (WN), Japanese encephalitis (JE), tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), Geta, Influenza A, as well as avian paramicroviruses type I (virus of Newcastle disease (ND)) and type 6 (APMV-6) in the Primorye Territory in 2003-2006. Totally throughout the period, specific antibodies to the viruses were detected by neutralization test in wild birds (7.3%, WN; 8.0%, Geta; 0.7% Batai; 2.8%, Alpine hare (Lepus timidus); by hemagglutination-inhibition test in cattle (11.4% WN; 5.9%, JE; j 3.0%, TBE; 11.6%, Geta), horses (6.1, 6.8, 0, and 25.3%, respectively), and pigs (5.4, 1.5, 0, and 5.9%, respectively) by enzyme immunoassay (IgG) in human beings (0.8, 0.5, 6.8, and 3.2%, respectively. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to reveal RNA of the NP segment of influenza A virus in 57.9 and 65% of the cloacal swabs from wild and domestic birds, respectively; and the HA-segment of subtype HH was not detected in 2005. HA/H5 RNA was recorded in 5.5 and 6.7% of the swabs from wild and domestic birds, respectively; 6% of the specimens from domestic birds were M-segment positive in 2006. RNA of influenza A virus NA/H7 and RNA was not detected throughout the years. In 2004, the cloacal swabs 8 isolated influenza A strains: two H3N8 and two H4N8 strains from European teals (Anas crecca), two (H3N8 and H6N2) strains from Baikal teals (A. formosa), one (H10N4) strain from shovelers (A. clypeata), and one (H4N8) from garganeys (A. querquedula). In 2004, one ND virus strain was isolated from the cloacal swabs from European teals (A. crecca). RT-PCR revealed RNA of this virus in some 8 more cloacal swabs from black ducks (A. poecilorhyncha) (3 positive specimens), pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) (n = 2), garganeys (A. querquedula) (n = 1), gadwalls (A. strepera) (n = 1), and geese (Anser anser domesticus) (n = 1). Sequencing of the 374-member fragment of the ND virus F gene, which included a proteolytic cleavage site, could assign two samples to the weakly pathogenetic variants of genotype 1, one sample to highly pathogenic variants of genotype 3a, five to highly pathogenic ones of genotype 5b. Isolation of APMV-6 (2003) from common egrets (Egretta alba) and geese (Ans. anser domesticus) is first described.

[Newcastle disease virus in the populations of wild birds in the south of the Primorye Territory in the period of autumn migrations in 2001-2004].

The paper presents the results of molecular virological monitoring of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) by reverse-polymerase chain reaction (followed by sequence of F-gene fragment 374 p.n.) and chick embryo isolation of samples from the avian cloacal swabs collected in the south of the Primorye Territory in September-October 2001-2004. It shows that before 2004, there were only slightly pathogenic variants of NDV of genotype 1 in this region and in 2004 they were added by highly pathogenic variants of subtypes 3a and 5b. The impact of landscaping features of the south of the Primorye Territory on the environment of NDV is discussed.