[The problem of opisthorchiasis in Ukraine and current approaches to its treatment].

The opisthorchiasis epidemiological situation in Ukraine and the Sumy Region that has the largest natural focus of invasion has been analyzed. Its morbidity rate is 21.6 per 100,000 population, which is more than 20 times greater than that in Ukraine. The clinical course of the disease in the endemic focus, the attribute of which is the high percentage of its latent form, has been examined. Praziquantel is the most effective drug for the etiotropic therapy of opisthorchiasis.

[The problem of opisthorchiasis in Ukraine and modern approaches to treatment].

The aim of the research was to conduct the analysis of the epidemiology of opisthorchiasis in Ukraine and Sumy region. It was found that in Sumy region the morbidity of population was 27.7 per 100 thousand of population. Incidence rate was almost 27 times higher in Suma region than in the rest of the country. The clinical course of the disease in endemic region was characterized by a high percentage of the latent form of invasion. The investigation showed that the most effective drug for the causal treatment of opisthorchiasis is praziquantel.

[Results of Russian multicenter trial of immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety of new combination vaccine against hepatitis A and B (Twinrix)].

Results of registration trial of combination vaccine for prevention of hepatitis A and B are presented. The trial was conducted in 5 centers of Russia in 2004-2005 with full accordance to good clinical practice requirements and standards for multicenter open randomized trials. Immunogenicity of studied combination vaccine Twinrix was evaluated in comparison with two simultaneously administered monovalent vaccines against hepatitis A and B (Havrix and Engerix-B) in 200 healthy subjects aged 18-40, which were seronegative to hepatitis A and B. Reactogenicity based on interviewed and non-interviewed symptoms ranged on intensity was assessed also. 1 month after completion of primary vaccination all subjects in both groups were seropositive to hepatitis A. Sero-protection level of antibodies to hepatitis B virus was detected in 98.9% of participants vaccinated with Twinrix and in 95.6% of participants vaccinated with Engerix-B and Havrix. Overall, reactogenicity of vaccines was minor, marked adverse events caused by vaccination were rare (approximately 1%). Study shows that combination vaccine against hepatitis A and B (Twinrix) at least non inferior in terms of immunogenicity, safety and tolerability to monovalent vaccines (Havrix and Engerix-B), were registered in Russia.

[Experience in clinical use of primalan (mequitazine) in allergology]. / Opyt klinicheskogo primeneniia primalana (mekvitazina) v allergologii.

AIM: To study efficacy of primalan (mequitasine) in the treatment of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and chronic recurrent urticaria. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 140 patients. Of them, 60 patients had allergic rhinitis, 80 patients had chronic recurrent urticaria. All the patients received primalan (mequitasin) in a dose 10 mg/day (5 mg twice daily or a single dose 10 mg). The disease symptoms and side effects of primalan were assessed for 28 days of the treatment. RESULTS: Primalan (mequitasin) proved to be highly effective against allergic rhinitis (good and very good response--76%, satisfactory--20%) and chronic recurrent urticaria (the response in 90% patients). Good primalan tolerance was reported. Side effects were moderate and did not require the drug withdrawal (sleepiness in 6.6%, dryness of the mucosa in 5%). CONCLUSION: Primalan (mequitasin) can be recommended for wide application in therapy of allergic rhinitis and chronic recurrent urticaria.

[Use of conjugated allergen-polymer vaccines (pollen allergens of new generation) for allergen-specific immunotherapy]. / Primenenie dlia spetsificheskoi allergennoi immunoterapii kon''iugirovannykh allergenopolimernykh vaktsin (pyl'tsvykh allergotropinov novoi generatsii).

AIM: To assess effectiveness of new pollen allergotropins for allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The allergotropins were produced basing on conjugation of pollen allergoids (timothy, birch, mugwort pollen) and polyelectrolite (polyoxidonium) with immunomodulating properties. Pollen allergotropins (timpol, berpol) were designed to treat pollenosis caused by sensitization to timothy and birch pollen. Pollen allergotropins were studied in ASI given to 140 patients with pollenosis and 10 patients with bronchial asthma. RESULTS: In the group of pollenosis patients with hypersensitivity to birch pollen the response to berpol was excellent in 55% patients (the disease symptoms disappeared, antihistamine drugs intake was stopped), good--in 33%, satisfactory--in 12%. Timpol produced a marked response in all the patients treated for hypersensitivity to timothy pollen. CONCLUSION: Pollen allergotropins have a high therapeutic effect under low risk of provoking reactions of anaphylactic type in patients on ASI.

[Ultrastructure of cell populations of gingival soft tissue in chronic inflammatory processes]. / Ul'trastrukturnye aspekty kletochnykh populiatsii miagkikh tkanei desny pri khronicheskom vospalitel'nom protsesse.

Parodontal tissues were studied using semithin and ultrathin sections. Cell populations participating in parodontitis development consist of plasmocytes, fibroblasts, granulocytes, lymphocytes, endotheliocytes, mast cells and, to a lesser extent, epitheliocytes, thrombocytes, macrophages. The ultrastructural criterion of severe chronic parodontitis is the presence of pronounced changes in plasmocyte population with their transformation.

[Therapeutic effectiveness of histaglobin preparations in patients with allergic rhinitis and chronic urticaria]. / Terapevticheskaia éffektivnost' preparatov gistaglobina u bol'nykh allergicheskim rinitom i khronicheskoi krapivnitsei.

AIM: To evaluate therapeutic effects of histaglobin drugs (histaglobin and histaglobin-triplex) in patients with continuous allergic rhinitis (CAR) and chronic recurrent (idiopathic) urticaria (CRU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The drugs were given to 45 patients with CAR and high sensitivity to household allergens confirmed by cutaneous diagnostic tests or high IgE level, and 40 patients with CRU with typical cutaneous lesions. The drugs were injected subcutaneously (a total of 6 injections, 2 ml of solution each) with the interval 2-3 or 3-4 days. Histaglobin was given as 12 mg of normal human immunoglobulin + 0.00015 mg of histamine dihydrochloride. Histamine-triplex as 36 mg of immunoglobulin + 0.00045 mg of histamine dihydrochloride. The treatment was repeated in a months (3 injections). Clinical response was assessed in scores by the scale of clinical symptoms. RESULTS: Histaglobin relieved symptoms of CAR (from 7.34 +/- 0.095 to 1.7 +/- 0.04 scores on the treatment day 28, p < 0.01). After the repeated course CAR symptoms attenuated to 1.6 +/- 0.057 scores). Extranasal symptoms significantly reduced too. Excellent and good results were achieved in 80% of the patients. Positive results were also obtained in 82.5% of CRU patients. Tolerance of histaglobin and histaglobin-triplex was good. CONCLUSION: In the tested regimen, both histaglobin and histaglobin-triplex proved effective in CAR and CRU when routine treatment failed.

[Ebastine in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis]. / Ebastin pri lechenii sezonnogo allergicheskogo rinita.

AIM: To test the efficiency and tolerance of the second generation antihistamine drug ebastin (kestine) in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Kestin was given for 3 weeks in doses 10 and 20 mg/day to 226 patients with SAR running for 6.8 +/- 6.1 years. SAR symptoms relief, subjective effects, side effects were studied. RESULTS: The total index of rhinitis symptoms diminished from 11.6 to 1.2 scores. Subjective response was registered in 82% of the patients, objective in 77%. Neither treatment aggravations nor serious side effects occurred. 2 patients had drowsiness, head aches, dizziness and discontinued treatment. CONCLUSION: Kestin is effective in SAR, had no serious side effects, is well tolerated.

[Experience using cefpirome in patients with infections of the bronchopulmonary system]. / Opyt primeneniia tsefpiroma u bol'nykh s infektsiei bronkholegochnoi sistemy.

The clinical efficacy and tolerance of cefpirome were estimated in the treatment of patients with bacterial infection of the respiratory tract. The estimate included 15 patients with acute and chronic bronchopulmonary diseases: 6 patients with acute pneumonia, 5 with exacerbated chronic purulent obstructive bronchitis and 4 with primary immune deficiency (agammaglobulinemia and acute pneumonia). Excellent and good total efficacy of the drug was stated in 6 and 8 patients respectively. In 1 patient the treatment was discontinued because of acute urticaria. Therefore, cefpirome is to be recommended as a highly efficient agent for the treatment of bronchopulmonary infection.

[The efficacy of the Zirtek (cetirizine) preparation in chronic recurrent urticaria and seasonal allergic rhinitis]. / Effektivnost' preparata "Zirtek" (cetirizine) pri khronicheskoi retsidiviruiushchei krapivnitse i sezonnom allergicheskom rinite.

Clinical trials of a new histamine H1-blocker of the III generation zyrtec (cetirizine) manufactured in Belgium (UCB) demonstrated its high efficacy in pollenosis and chronic idiopathic urticaria. The drug has the advantage of a rapid absorption (a marked antihistamine effect occurs 2 hours upon administration), the action duration (24 hours), convenient regimen (once a day), the absence of CNS effects such as sleepiness, ow attention, reduced memory and discoordinated movements.

[Antibacterial therapy of cholecystocholangitis in viral hepatitis]. / Antibakterial'naia terapiia kholetsistokholangitov pri virusnom gepatite.

The chemotherapy of cholecystocholangitis in patients with virus hepatitis was estimated. Antibiotics, furagin and pathogenetic drugs were used for the treatment. The antibiotics were chosen with regard to their sensitivity to the bile microflora. This resulted in sanation of the bile ducts. Furagin was less effective. The use of the pathogenetic drugs alone was ineffective in the majority of patients.