[Acute allergy in practice of military physician].

Increasing number of patients with allergy observed in recent years is accompanied with increasing number of health encounters due to acute allergy. The sudden beginning and unpredictable course characterize acute allergy. These factors can be fatal for patient and must be treated immediately. Allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, acute urticaria, angioedema and anaphylaxis refer to diseases based on acute allergy. The most dangerous diseases, characterized by fatal conditions, are generalised urticaria, angioedema and anaphylaxis. Knowledge of first aid principles is the most important factor of effective treatment because quickness of allergy progression requires prompt decisions. Use of the whole complex of modern therapeutic possibilities is the most important and durable. Modern methods of first aid for acute allergy, based on recommendations from foreign and domestic publications, are given in the article.

[Local and systemic immunological disorders in patients with subretinal proliferation].

IgM, IgG, IgA, and IgE in the subretinal fluid (SRF) of the subpopulational composition of peripheral blood T lymphocytes and the parameters of a leukocyte migration inhibition test (LMIT) were comparatively studied in patients with posttraumatic and regmatogenic retinal detachments (RD) complicated by subretinal proliferation (SP). SRF and blood samples taken from 20 patients with SP of various etiologies were studied. SRF immunoglobulins of classes M, G, A, and E were revealed in all the examinees, their higher levels being noted in patients with long-standing (more than 4 months) and severe recurrent RD. Comparative examinations of patients with regmatogenic and posttraumatic RDs revealed a significantly higher content of T lymphocytes (CD3+), T killers (CD8+), and T helpers (CD4+) in the peripheral blood of patients with regmatogenic RD. The patients of both groups were found to have increased LMIT values with phytohemagglutinin, Con-A and retinal antigen, in Group 2, leukocyte migration inhibition with retinal antigens being much more pronounced than that in Group 1.

[Immunopathogenesis of viral hepatitis C. Immunological markers of the disease progression].

Results of studies of immune response during hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were reviewed in order to reveal immunologic markers of the disease progression. Genetic heterogeneity of HCV and immunogenetic features of the host determine heterogeneity of immune response to the virus and differences in the course of the disease and outcomes. Spontaneous elimination of HCV-infection in acute phase occurs due to vigorous and sustained multispecific Th1-response toviral antigens. During such response proliferation of virus-specific CD4+ T-cells and secretion of IFN-gamma by them are observed, otherwise chronic hepatitis develops. Great importance in persistence of HCV as well as in quantitative and functional suppression of HCV-specific CD8+ T-cells has increased number of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T-cells. Cellular immune response plays a key role not only in the elimination of HCV, but also in liver pathology associated with HCV-infection. Progression of the process and shift to its chronic form are also associated with decrease of production of IFN-gamma, alpha, IL-2 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells and increase of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-2r levels in blood serum.

[Cytokinin inducing and antiviral activity of cycloferon on experimental herpetic infection]. / Tsitokinindutsiruiushchaia i protivovirusnaia aktivnost' tsikloferona pri éksperimenta'noi gerpeticheskoi infektsii.

Experimental data on the protective activity and the capacity for inducing the biosynthesis of some cytokins, the low molecular inductors of cycloferon, endogenic interferon of the acridanon group, in herpetic infection are presented. The herpes infection was modelled by intraperitoneal injection of herpes simplex virus, type 1 into BALB/c mice. In the animals with normal immune status cycloferon induced the formation of serum interferon (INF) in high titers (up to 1:20,000) with the peak achieved 4-8 hours after the injection of the preparation. In addition, cycloferon stimulated the synthesis of IL-2 and gamma INF, but decreased the concentration of IL-1b. Following immunosuppression caused by gamma-radiation or cyclophosphamide the titers of serum interferon decreased 4-8 times. In generalized herpes infection in non-inbred white mice with undamaged immune status cycloferon increased survival rate by 30-100% in comparison with the controls (untreated mice), while in case of immunosuppression the protective effect of this preparation was considerably lower. In infected mice the concentrations of gamma INF, IL-2, IL-1b were found to be elevated in comparison with their concentrations in healthy animals. In the course of the infectious process cycloferon suppressed the production of IL-2 and IL-1b, but did not influence the synthesis of gamma INF.

[The characteristics of allergic diseases in people exposed to the factors of a radiation catastrophe]. / Osobennosti allergicheskikh zabolevanii u lits, podvergshikhsia vozdeistviiu faktorov radiatsionnoi katastrofy.

The article deals with peculiarities of allergic diseases (bronchial asthma, pre-asthma, pollinosis) in patients who were exposed to the factors of radiative, catastrophe. Screening--questionnaire was made on 381 patients who went through the Chernobyl disaster. 46 patients from this number who had various allergic diseases were chosen for specific diagnostics and immunological researches. A conclusion was made that critical systems of organism, and especially the immune systems had the major significance for the development and outcome of radiative injuries. The disorders in these systems contribute to the development of allergic diseases.

[The military medical aspects of HIV infection]. / Voenno-meditsinskie aspekty infektsii VICh.

PIP: During 1988-89 the medical department of the S. M. Kirov hospital diagnosed 50 HIV-infected military personnel who had contracted the disease in Africa. Among 270,000 prisoners from 17 countries the rate of HIV infection ranged from 11% to 26%. Among US Army recruits the rate of HIV seropositivity was found to be 1.5%. Among Navy soldiers the rate was 0.24%. During 1985-87, in the navies of different countries, 2051 men had contracted HIV infection, most of whom had no idea about transmission and prevention. At the Kirov military hospital during 1988-89 a comparison of HIV infection rate was made involving 545 people. Among foreigners the rate was 17.2 times higher than among citizens. In a massive screening experiment involving 47,447 people in Kalmykia a rate of 2.9% was found among local citizens compared to 1.9% among foreigners. Diagnosis relies on various antibody tests, of which the Welcozyme test system has yielded only a 2.3% rate of false positive results. In 1989 the immunological status of 73 false positive results from 20 HIV-infected people was examined. These investigations revealed that the absolute amount of T-4 cells, the index of differentiation of T-4/T-8, and the functional activity of lymphocytes diminished in the infected people, while a slight increase of T-8 count did occur. The study of the blood lymphocytes showed that in the infected people the activity of lactate dehydrogenase and mitochondrial isoforms of malate dehydrogenase decreased somewhat, while the activity of succinate dehydrogenase and especially of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase increased. In persons infected with HIV, the T- suppressor cell count increased and T-helper cell count decreased, which leads to the decrease of the functional indices of the immune system. Military health services are obliged to inform the servicemen about AIDs for health protection and the spouses of those infected with HIV should also be notified.^ieng

[Antibody-dependent cytotoxic method of determining the number of natural killer cells in the peripheral blood]. / Antitelozavisimyi tsitotoksicheskii metod opredeleniia kolichestva estestvennykh killerov v perifericheskoi krovi.

A method for assays of human peripheral blood natural killers, making use of monoclonal antibodies, has been developed. The method is unsophisticated, reagent-saving, does not involve the use of special equipment. Comparison of the results of the cytotoxic method 'with those of routine tests has shown a good correlation of the results.