[Molecular genetic characteristics of tick-borne encephalitis virus in the crimea].

The nucleotide sequences of the envelope (E) protein gene of three tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) strains 80, 85, and 290 isolated from Ixodes ricinus ticks in the Crimea in 1989-1990 were determined. A comparative analysis of the genetic structure of the strains showed their identity. A phylogenetic analysis of these strains with 34 other TBEV strains could assign them to the European genotype and showed their maximum (97.24%) identity to the Pan strain that occupies a separate position among the sequenced TBEV strains. The findings indicate that the TBEV European genotype strains circulated together with the TBEV Far Eastern genotype ones in the Crimea in 1980-1990.

Chlamydia trachomatis infections in eastern Europe: legal aspects, epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment.

OBJECTIVES: Knowledge concerning genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections in eastern Europe is scarce. Data on the legal aspects, epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the infection have never been collected, summarised, and presented to the international scientific community. The aim of this study was to present the current situation on the main aspects of chlamydial infections in the countries of eastern Europe. METHODS: Written questionnaires concerning legal aspects, epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the infection were distributed among national STI operating administrators as well as researchers who had presented papers at earlier meetings of European chlamydia or STI societies. RESULTS: Most of the countries have not legalised reporting of chlamydial infections and in those who have done so, the quality of the reporting system is poor. Contact tracing is mostly done on a voluntary basis. Reported chlamydia incidence varies from 21 to 276 per 100000 inhabitants. The most commonly used diagnostic test remains the direct immunofluorescence test; however, some tendencies towards nucleic acid amplification are in evidence. Diagnostic services are paid for by the patient himself, while treatment in many countries is partially or completely covered by public insurance. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report summarising data concerning the situation on C trachomatis infections in eastern Europe. The reporting system and diagnosis of C trachomatis infections remain suboptimal, which allows neither control of the epidemiological situation nor optimal treatment of the patients. The most urgent work currently necessary is the education of professionals and the general population.

Immune status of newborns in perinatal chlamydial infection.

PROBLEM: Thirty newborns, delivered by mothers with urogenital chlamydiosis, diagnosed on the 35th-36th weeks of gestation, and 10 newborns of healthy mothers were studied immunologically. CD3 (T-lymphocytes), CD19 (B-lymphocytes), CD4 (T-helpers-inductors), CD8 (T-suppressor-cytotoxic), T-lymphocyte response to PHA, levels of Ig G, A, M in umbilical blood were detected. METHOD: Chlamydia trachomatis antibody's titers in umbilical blood were determined by indirect immunofluorescent method (with antigen C. trachomatis, serovar L2). Antibody titers found in umbilical blood were in 50% of cases higher than antibody level in mother's blood serum, and they later varied from 1:64 to 1:256. It was established that newborns delivered by mothers with urogenital chlamydiosis had imbalance of T-lymphocyte subsets, decrease in the numbers of T- and B- lymphocytes, and increased level of Ig M, while the level of Ig G did not change significantly. The exposed disproportion in immune status neonatal, born from mothers with urogenital chlamydiosis, in combination with high C. trachomatis antibody titers in umbilical blood may be prognostic of the development of neonatal chlamydial infections.

[Inhibition of Chlamydia trachomatis multiplication by interferon inducer larifan in mice with experimental infection]. / Podavlenie induktorom interferona larifanom razmnozheniia Chlamydia trachomatis pri eksperimental'noi infektsii myshei.

Interferon (IF)-inducing capacity of C. trachomatis was shown in experiments on mice CBA. The levels of IF production in the parenchymatous organs correlated with accumulation of the pathogen in them. The use of larifan, a natural double-stranded IF inductor, according to the treatment scheme provided high levels of endogenic IF in infected mice. It inhibited multiplication of Chlamydiae in the lungs and lymph nodes detected cytoscopically by light and fluorescence microscopy and with infection titration. The effect of the inductor combined with tetracycline was of additive nature. Double intraperitoneal administration of larifan with an account of the hyporeactivity phase and daily administration of tetracycline proved to be the most efficient. It is possible to successfully use IF inductors in accordance with the treatment schemes in infection caused by C. trachomatis which makes promising their clinical application in therapy of chlamydiosis.

[Obtaining erythrocyte diagnosticum for the detection of chlamydial antigen]. / Poluchenie éritrotsitarnogo diagnostikum dlia vyiavleniia khlamidinogo antigena.

It is shown possible to obtain erythrocyte diagnosticum for detection of chlamydial antigen, whose cell basis consists of a formalinized suspension of ram erythrocytes, sensibilized with hyperimmune antichlamydial sera by means of the amydol. High sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosticum, absolute correlation with the data obtained in the complex examination of patients with the urogenital tract pathology of the chlamydial etiology by other methods were determined in the course of investigation in the indirect hemagglutination test with diagnosticums of scrape specimens from these patients.