[The epidemic situation in relation to HIV infection in Ukraine (1987-1997)]. / Epidemicheskaia situatsiia po VICh-infektsii na Ukraine (1987-1997).

The analysis of the dynamics of the epidemic process for 10 years made it possible to find out the presence of two separate epidemic waves of HIV infection. The first wave (1987-1994) was manifested as the slow type of the development of the epidemic, characterized mainly by sexual transmission. During this period 398 persons with HIV infection were detected, 24 persons were found to have AIDS; of these, 13 persons died. The second epidemic wave began in 1995 and was due to the spread of HIV among users of drugs introduced by injection. By the end of 1995 the number of HIV carriers was 34 times greater than that of 1994, reaching 1490 persons. In 1996-1997 this figure increased 8 times (annually). The number of AIDS patients rose to 420 persons. The most unfavorable regions with respect to HIV infection and AIDS morbidity were determined. The western regions of the Ukraine were noted to be in a more favorable situation in this respect with infection indices being lower more than 30 times. Up to 80% of all infected persons were found to be addicts introducing drugs intravenously. Growing morbidity in sexually transmitted disease, particularly in syphilis, contributed to the deterioration of the epidemiological situation. The conclusion was made on the necessity of introducing new prophylactic programs and expanding current ones. The signs of stabilization in Odessa and Nikolayev were observed; in these cities pilot programs aimed at the strategy of the "decrease of harm" have been introduced (in collaboration with UNAIDS) since 1996.

[The clinico-epidemiological characteristics of HIV infection and AIDS in Ukraine]. / Kliniko-épidemiologicheskie osobennosti VICh-infektsii i SPIDa na Ukraine.

The summarized results of the observations of 449 hospitalized patients, aged mainly 18-37 years (40 patients with active AIDS, 43 patients with AIDS, other patients were HIV carriers and infected at the stage of lymphadenopathy). In most of the HIV-infected patients the infection process progressed in 3-5 years, which was manifested by associated candidiasis in 74.7% of cases. In AIDS patients opportunistic infections of viral etiology (herpes simplex, cytomegalovirus infection, etc.) prevailed. 14 patients were found to have tuberculosis. Clinico-epidemiological analysis made it possible to come to the conclusion that the specific features of HIV carriership and AIDS were greatly linked with different groups of risk to which the patients belonged. Thus, a shorter period of carriership, the prevalence of opportunistic viral infections were mostly characteristic of drug addicts.

[Serotypical stratification of HIV-1 in populations of intravenous drug users in the south/southwestern Ukraine]. / Serotipicheskaia stratifikatsiia VICh-1 v populiatsii vnutrivennykh narkomanov na iuge/iogo-vostoke Ukrainy.

A total of 101 HIV-1 positive sera from intravenous drug users (IVDU) in Southern and South-Eastern Ukraine were serotyped using V3-mimicking peptides. Serotype B circulates in Nikolaev and type A/C in Odessa and Donetsk. Prevalence of A/C serotype in the population of IVDU is a characteristic feature of the epidemic situation in this region, in contrast to the USA and Western Europe, where subtype B circulates. Serotypical stratification indicates that routes of HIV-1 dissemination in the Ukraine differ from those in the USA and Western Europe, which should be borne in mind when planning the strategy of epidemic control.

[The epidemiological characteristics of HIV infection in Ukraine]. / Osobennosti épidemiologii VICh-infektsii v Ukraine.

The paper presents results of screening tests involving different groups of the population in the Ukraine, for antibodies to HIV, findings from epidemiologic investigation into cases with HIV-infection, with a view to outlining epidemiologic situation and assessing effectiveness of antiepidemic measures. HIV-transmission through sexual contacts is the commonest way of HIV-transportation in the Ukraine (66.1% of all cases of infection). An attempt is made of giving a short-term prognosis of epidemic situation in the Ukraine over a period of up to 1995. A conclusion is reached on the necessity of strengthening preventive measures with the view of influencing the unsafe forms of sexual behaviour.

HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor design using artificial neural networks.

Artificial neural networks were used to analyze and predict the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors. The training and control sets included 44 molecules (most of them are well-known substances such as AZT, dde, etc.). The activities of the molecules were taken from literature. Topological indices were calculated and used as molecular parameters. The four most informative parameters were chosen and applied to predict activities of both new and control molecules. We used a network pruning algorithm and network ensembles to obtain the final classifier. Increasing of neural network generalization of the new data was observed, when using the aforementioned methods. The prognosis of new molecules revealed one molecule as possibly very active. It was confirmed by further biological tests.

[The role of lipids in the interaction of influenza virus with the host cell]. / Rol' lipidov vo vzaimodeistvii virusa grippa s kletkoi-khoziainom.

The published data on the lipids composition of influenza virus, the significance of lipid-protein interactions for support of the virion structure are reviewed. The roles of viral and cellular membrane lipids in the different stages of viral interaction with the host cell: viral adsorption to the cellular surface, penetration into the cell, maturation and assembly of virions are discussed. The data on the significance of lipid composition phenotype of the virus and host cell in realization of the viral infection of the cell are reviewed.