Pathogens in Ixodes persulcatus and Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) in Karelia (Russia).

Ixodid ticks (Acarina, Ixodidae) are vectors of dangerous human infections. The main tick species that determine the epidemiological situation for tick-borne diseases in northern Europe are Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus. In recent years, significant changes in the number and distribution of these species have been observed, accompanied by an expansion of the sympatric range. This work summarizes the data of long-term studies carried out in Karelia since 2007 on the infection of I. persulcatus and I. ricinus ticks with various pathogens, including new viruses with unclear pathogenic potential. As a result, tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV, Siberian genotype), Alongshan virus, several representatives of the family Phenuiviridae, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, Ehrlichia muris, Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae and Candidatus Lariskella arthropodarum were identified. Data were obtained on the geographical and temporal variability of tick infection rates with these main pathogens. The average infection rates of I. persulcatus with TBEV and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato were 4.4% and 23.4% and those of I. ricinus were 1.1% and 11.9%, respectively. We did not find a correlation between the infection rate of ticks with TBEV, B. burgdorferi s.l. and Ehrlichia muris/chaffeensis with the sex of the vector. In general, the peculiarities of the epidemiological situation in Karelia are determined by the wide distribution and high abundance of I. persulcatus ticks and by their relatively high infection rate with TBEV and B. burgdorferi s.l. in most of the territory, including the periphery of the range.

Impact of Clinical Factors on the Achievement of Target Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Patients from Ivanovo Region of Russia: Data of 2015.

INTRODUCTION: In Russia, blood pressure (BP) control is below the optimal. The little is known about regional features and barriers to adequate BP control in Russian primary care. AIM: To evaluate the impact of clinical factors on achieving the target BP in hypertensive patients in one region of Russia. METHODS: Retrospective medical data of 2015 on 11,129 patients (31.4% male) with hypertension (Htn) from Ivanovo region of Russia were examined. Achievement of target BP was assessed in all patients. We study association between BP control and clinical factors. RESULTS: 45.9% of studied patients with Htn had controlled BP. The frequency of achieving the target BP in subsets of hypertensive patients was 37.8% in patients with diabetes, 39.5% in patients with coronary artery disease, and 29.9% in patients with chronic heart failure. The main clinical factors associated with achieving the target BP in studied hypertensive patients were the advice on alcohol consumption, advice on smoking cessation, and advice on weight reduction. Therapy with main antihypertensive drugs (in particular, beta-blockers and thiazide diuretics) were also factors of optimal BP control in these patients. Comorbidities (chronic heart failure and cardiovascular diseases requiring the prescription of aspirin and statins) and family history of coronary artery disease were associated with inadequate BP control. A negative effect of some antihypertensive drugs (potassium sparing diuretics, ARBs, ACE-Is, and dihydropyridine CCBs) on BP control that was found out in our study requires further investigation. Other studied factors had no influence on BP control in patients with Htn from Ivanovo region. CONCLUSION: We identified regional factors of BP control in hypertensive patients from Ivanovo region of Russia. It is shown that individual medical education (in particular, medical advices) is the most important factor of optimal BP control. The intervention with antihypertensive therapy (beta-blockers and thiazide diuretics) facilitates the achievement of target BP. Comorbidity and age reduce the frequency of achieving the target BP.

[EPIDEMIOLOGIC SITUATION BY NATURAL-FOCI INFECTIONS IN THE CRIMEA FEDERAL DISTRICT IN 2014-2015].

AIM: Analysis of epidemic manifestations of natural-foci infections (NFI), clarification of spectrum of their causative agents, determination of epizootic activity of natural foci in the Crimea Federal District (KFD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Epizootologic examination of 10 administrative districts of KDF was carried out. 291 pools (2705 specimens) of ixodes ticks and 283 samples of organs of small mammals were studied by PCRmethod for the presence of DNA/RNA of causative agents of a number of NFI. RESULTS: Morbidity by NFI in KFD was registered by 6 nosologies: Lyme borreliosis, Marseilles fever, leptospirosis; tularemia, intestine yersiniosis and tick-borne viral encephalitis, wherein, transmissive infections made up 91.6%. Circulation of causative agents of Crimea hemorrhagic fever, Q fever, group of tick-borne spotted fever, Lyme borreliosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, West Nile fever, tularemia and leptospirosis was established. CONCLUSION: Due to activity of natural foci of NFI further monitoring of epidemiologic and epizootologic manifestations of these infections in the Crimea, including using genetic methods of analysis, is necessary for ensuring sanitary-epidemiologic welfare of KFD population.

[Ligands of RAGE-Proteins: Role in Intercellular Communication and Pathogenesis of Inflammation].

The review contains data on the diversity of endogenous ligands of RAGE receptors (receptor for advanced glycation end products) that play an important role in the signal transduction in (patho) physiological conditions. RAGE takes part in various physiological processes like cell growth and survival, apoptosis and regeneration. They serve as regulators of inflammatory reactions due to their ability to induce secretion of cytokines and chemokines. In addition, they facilitate elimination of apoptotic cells and mediate innate immune response. We discuss mechanisms of soluble RAGE production as well as the role of membrane and soluble forms of the receptor in cell signaling. Several endogenous ligands of RA GE are well-known: advanced glycation end products (AGE), amyloid-beta (Aß), nuclear high mobility group box 1 proteins (HMGB1), and calcium-binding proteins S100A4, S100A8/A9, S100A12 u S100B. The review is focused on the mechanisms of the ligands production, their secretion from the cells of various origin, interaction with RAGE, and associated intracellular signal transduction pathways. Special attention is paid to the role of RAGE in pathogenesis of inflammation, particularly, in brain injury and neurodegeneration.

[The tick-borne encephalitis virus detection efficiency in the Ixodid ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) with ELISA and real-time PCR].

According to the data of the Federal Service on Customers' Rights Protection and Human Well-being Surveillance, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detects the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in ticks more often than the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The goal of this work was to compare TBEV detection efficiency in the ixodid ticks of different species with the commercial kits based on ELISA and real-time PCR. Ticks of five species were parenterally infected with 2-6 IgPFU of the European or Siberian TBEV subtypes. We formed randomized and encoded series of infected and intact ticks of different species, and in "blind" experiment analyzed the ticks on the TBEV presence with the kits based on ELISA and real-time PCR. ELISA and real-time PCR effectiveness of the TBEV detection in ticks was not affected by gender, species of ticks or presence of blood meal. The kits based on ELISA were less sensitive than those based on real-time PCR. ELISA effectiveness depended on the TBEV subtype. The presence of the false positive reactions and sensitivity of ELISA were affected by the protocols of reaction. The problem of the different TBEV prevalence in the field-collected ticks obtained with various methods remains to be studied.

[Biologically active substances during treatment of pulmonary hypertension with ATP infusions immediately after general anesthesia and surgery of hypervolemic congenital heart defects]. / Biologicheski aktivnye veshchestva v usloviiakh terapii legochnoi gipertenzii infuziiami ATF v blizhaishem periode posle obshchei anestezii i likvidatsii gipervolemicheskikh vrozhdennykh porokov serdtsa.

In 95 patients with hypervolemic congenital heart valve defects (42 with interventricular and interatrial septal defects, and 53 with patent ductus arteriosus) mixed venous blood levels of serotonin, histamine, adrenalin, noradrenaline, total 11-hydroxycorticosteroids were studied using spectrofluorimetry, cyclic adenosine- and guanosine monophosphate (cAMP and cGMP), prostaglandins E + A and F2 alpha and their interaction were assessed using radioimmunoassay and correlation analysis, respectively. Immediately after general anesthesia and surgical correction of septal defects using cardiopulmonary bypass adrenalin level was increased, while noradrenaline, cAMP, cGMP, prostaglandin E + A levels remained high. Similar pattern was observed in patients after arterial duct ligation. Mean pulmonary artery pressure was elevated in both groups of patients (above 4 kPa). Effective therapy of pulmonary hypertension with intravenous ATP infusions immediately after general anesthesia and elimination of septal defects (20 patients) was accompanied by a decline in noradrenaline, cGMP and total 11-hydroxycorticosteroid level (with adrenalin level increased), while after open arterial duct ligation (20 patients) it was followed by a drop in noradrenaline and prostaglandin F2 alpha level (with adrenalin level increased) and the activation of the interaction of biologically active substances aimed predominantly at attenuation of vasoconstrictor reactions in the lungs.

[Biologically active substances in patients with hypervolemic congenital heart defects undergoing general multicomponent anesthesia]. / Biologicheski aktivnye veshchestva u bol'nykh s gipervolemicheskimi vrozhdennymi porokami serdtsa v usloviiakh obshchei mnogokomponentnoi anestezii.

In 95 patients with hypervolemic congenital heart diseases (42 with interventricular and interatrial septal defects, and 53 with patent ductus arteriosus) mixed venous blood levels of serotonin, histamine, adrenalin, noradrenaline, total 11-hydroxycorticosteroids were studied using spectrofluorimetry, cyclic adenosine- and guanosine-monophosphate (cAMP and cGMP), prostaglandins E+A and F2 alpha and their interaction were assessed using radioimmunoassay and correlation analysis, respectively. Before surgical treatment the patients showed higher (than in the control) concentrations of histamine, adrenalin, noradrenaline, cAMP, and cGMP, prostaglandins E+A. During anesthesia including fentanyl, morphine, diazepam, N2O:O2 in patients with heart valve defects cGMP level was increased and in patients with patent ductus arteriosus cAMP level was increased during analogous anesthesia with morphine replaced by halothane.