[Content of ceruloplasmin and immunoglobulins of the main classes in the blood sera of patients with herpes virus infection].

In 35 patients with herpes virus infection (males and females aged 25 to 45 years) the content of ceruloplasmin and immunoglobulins of the main classes in the blood sera and the content of IgA in saliva at the stages of exacerbation and remission were evaluated. For control, a group of 35 healthy donors of the same ages were used. In patients with relapsing herpes virus infection even at the period of remission reliably higher levels of ceruloplasmin and immunoglobulins of the main classes were registered in comparison with those in the group of healthy donors. This was indicative of the fact that constant antigenic load caused by virus persistence and, in our opinion, could be regarded as a sign of unfavorable prognosis. At the periods of exacerbation a reliable increased level of secretory IgA was registered in a group of patients with rare relapses of herpes virus infection in comparison with a group of patients with frequent relapses, which showed that patients with rare relapses had a better immune response.

[Seroepidemiological study of coronavirus infection in children and adults in St. Petersburg]. / Seroépidemiologicheskoe izuchenie koronavirusnoi infektsii u detei i vzroslykh Sankt-Peterburga.

As the result of prolonged (17 years) observations of patients with acute respiratory infections hospitalized in basic departments of clinics of the Research Institute of Influenza, coronavirus infection was found to be the cause of respiratory diseases, on the average, in 12% of cases (in some years in 6.8% to 28.6% of cases). The analysis of extensive morbidity rates among different age groups of the population showed that children were affected by coronavirus infection 5-7 times more often than adults. Three year cycles of this infection were established. The periods of coronaviruses activation were accompanied by their detection in patient material by electron-microscopy, a sharp increase of immune response of patients as well as in the number of nosocomial infections and the proportion of the monoinfection of the coronavirus nature. Coronaviruses played the leading role among other viruses in the etiology of hospital respiratory infections. Mucosal antibodies to coronaviruses in the secretions of the nasal cavity proved to be more important than serum antibodies not only in protection from infection, but also in the pattern of clinical manifestations of the disease.

[Resistance of herpes simplex virus to acyclovir: laboratory and clinical aspects]. / Rezistentnost' virusa prostogo gerpesa k atsikloviru: laboratornyi i klinicheskii aspekty.

Clinical isolates of the Herpes simplex virus had different susceptibility to acyclovir. Along with highly susceptible variants there were often isolated resistant variants and variants with intermediate susceptibility to the drug. All the clinical isolates were from the patients previously not treated with acyclovir. Therefore, it is possible to consider the drug resistance of the Herpes simplex virus to be natural. Two cultures of the virus differing in their susceptibility to acyclovir were simultaneously isolated from the affections of various localization in one patient. The study of the time course of the resistance development in the cell cultures showed that it depended on the drug dose and the subculture level. It is advisable to test the isolates of the Herpes simplex virus for their susceptibility to drugs used in the patient treatment. This will provide individual therapy of the patients with Herpes simplex.

[Varying sensitivity to acyclovir of different years' clinical isolates of herpes simplex virus]. / Var'iruiushchaia chuvstvitel'nost' klinicheskikh izoliatov virusa prostogo gerpesa raznykh let vydeleniia k atsikloviru.

The population of types I and 2 herpes simplex viruses (HSV) to be studied consisted mainly of Acyclovir-sensitive strains. In some cases Acyclovir-resistant HSV strains were detected. The phenotypic profile of the Acyclovir-resistant strains were shown to have low reproduction rates in tissue cultures. Their antigenic character was similar to that of reference strains. Several phenotypic variants concurrently isolated from the same patient differ in their reproductive properties, antigenic characteristics, and sensitivity to Acyclovir. It is expedient to examine HSV isolates from patients for their sensitivity to chemicals used in clinical practice. This will allow patients with herpes infection to be treated on an individual basis.

[Some characteristics of circulation and respiratory viruses in the country]. / Nekotorye osobennosti tsirkuliatsii respiratornykh virusov na territorii strany.

The 17-year observation of changes in the etiological pattern of acute respiratory diseases (ARD) in the country has demonstrated that different types of adenoviruses are prevalent in the circulation on the whole territory. Adenoviral infection was found to prevail among non-influenza infections in the Ukraine, RSV infection in the north of the Russian Federation and in the Far East; piconaviral infections caused by Echo and Coxsackievirus B in the Urals and Byelarus Republic. However, some years were marked by a change in various serotypes of adenoviruses and picornaviruses in different climatic and geographical zones and in different age population groups. There was a seasonal variability in the spread of respiratory viruses and herpes simplex virus type I. Adenovirus infection is characterized by fall-winter-spring seasonal patterns. RSV-infection and herpes infection are characterized by fall-winter seasonal patterns. In contrast, the acute respiratory infections of picornavirus etiology show a well-defined summer seasonal pattern.

[The genomic variability of adenovirus serotype 7]. / Genomnaia izmenchivost' adenovirusov serotipa 7.

Genetic heterogeneity and evolutionary relationships among selected strains of adenovirus type 7 (Ad7) isolated in the former USSR were examined using the restriction endonuclease Cfr131 with a 4-base recognition cleavage site. The population of adenovirus type 7 showed less expressed genome polymorphism and significant structural distinctions as compared with that of adenovirus type 3. The Ad7 evolution in the USSR (1976-1988) independent on that demonstrated in other countries is discussed.

[The genomic variability of adenovirus serotype 3]. / Genomnaia izmenchivost' adenovirusa serotipa 3.

Genetic heterogeneity and evolutionary relationships among selected strains of adenovirus type 3 (Ad3) isolated in the former USSR (1976-1988) were examined using the restriction endonuclease Cfr131 with a 4-base recognition cleavage site. The population of adenovirus type 3 showed significant genetic instability. Evolution of genomic variants of Ad3 was found to have regional localization associated with definite periods of adenovirus circulation.

[Assessment of potential epidemiologic danger of sources of respiratory syncytial infection by biological properties of the pathogen]. / Otsenka potentsial'noi épidemiologicheskoi opasnosti istochnikov respiratorno-sintsitial'noi infektsii po biologicheskim svoistvam vozbuditelia.

Biological properties of 188 strains of respiratory syncytial (RS) virus isolated from 93 institutionalized children during 4 years of observations were correlated with the form and stage of the infectious process, frequency of ARD, and blood group of the children for the evaluation of the epidemiological hazard of sources of RS infection. The degree of virulence of a strain was evaluated by its yields in human embryo lung culture and sensitivity to antibodies (avidity). In clinically manifest forms of RS infection more virulent strains were isolated than in inapparent infections and transitory asymptomatic virus-carrier state. Among the strains derived from children with frequent ARD, highly and moderately virulent strains were prevalent (in 72.7% high and moderate yields in cell culture, and 94.2% low avidity to antibodies) whereas children with rare ARD yielded mainly low virulent strains (70% none or low yields, and 62.5%--highly sensitive to antibodies). The RS virus strains isolated from children with A (II) blood group were found to be less sensitive to antibodies.

[Significance of the heterogeneity of respiratory syncytial viral populations in the development of the epidemic process]. / Znachenie geterogennosti respiratorno-sintsitial'nykh virusnykh populiatsii v razvitii épidemicheskogo protsessa.

The manifestations of the epidemic process in respiratory syncytial (RS) virus infection induced by the strains of the infective agent, differing in their capacity for reproduction at 39 degrees and 37 degrees C and in their sensitivity to antibodies, were compared. The observation of children in a group (about 80 children simultaneously) with the systematic serological and virological examination of sick and healthy children was the main method in this investigation. The circulation of RS viruses with greater capacity for reproduction at 39 degrees and 37 degrees C and lesser sensitivity to antibodies, i.e. viruses with greater virulence, was accompanied by the increased intensity of manifestations of the epidemic process. An increase in the heterogeneity of RS virus populations isolated at the same period of observation was accompanied by the intensification of the epidemic process, which was manifested by increased morbidity rate and a higher level of contamination in children, an increase in the incidence of outbreaks and in the frequency of RS virus reinfection.