[Characteristics of epidemiological strains of influenza A virus (H3N2) isolate in 1997-1999. Virus A/Moscow/10/99--a candidate to become the vaccine strain]. / Kharakteristika épidemicheskikh shtammov virusa grippa A(H3N2) 1997-1999 gg. izoliatsii. Virus A/Moskva/10/99--kandidat v vaktsinnyi shtamm.

Antigenic properties of influenza A(H3N2) viruses isolated during two epidemic seasons 1997-98 and 1998-99 in Russia are analyzed. All strains are antigenic variants of the reference strain A/Sydney/5/97. Characteristics of epidemic strain A/Moscow/10/99, proposed by WHO expert committee as vaccine strain for 1999-2000 have been studied. This strain, isolated on chick embryos, is characterized by high reproductive activity in chicken embryos with an infectious titer of 10(6) EID50/0.2 ml, easily adapts to MDCK culture, and has a thermostable hemagglutinin.

[Recombinant human alfa2-interferon (reaferon) in ointment form in the treatment of various diseases of the skin and mucosa]. / Gennoinzhenernyi chelovecheskii interferon al'fa-2 (reaferon) v vide mazi pri lechenii nekotorykh zabolevanii kozhi i slizistykh obolochek.

Clinical trials of the gene engineered human alpha 2-interferon as ointment were performed. The ointment was used in the treatment of patients with relapsing herpes of various localization, relapsing aphthous stomatitis and pemphigus vulgaris. It was shown that the ointment was harmless and its therapeutic effect was favourable. The preparation is recommended for introduction into the practice of public health.

[Study of the safety, reactogenicity, and allergenicity of swine leukocyte interferon in experiments on animals and observations of volunteers]. / Izuchenie bezvrednosti, reaktogennosti i allergennosti svinogo leikotsitarnogo interferona v éksperimentakh na zhivotnykh i v nabliudeniiakh na dobrovol'tsakh.

The results of comparative experiments in guinea pigs sensitized with human and porcine leukocyte interferon are presented. The animals were inoculated either intracardially or intradermally with the appropriate interferon 18-24 days after a single intramuscular or a single subcutaneous interferon injection, the latter with Freund adjuvant. The results of anaphylaxy reaction and dermal reaction permit a conclusion of lower allergenicity of porcine interferon than of human one. Daily intranasal inoculation of both porcine and human interferon for 5 days did not produce sensitization of guinea pigs, and three daily intranasal inoculations for 5 days of porcine interferon to 22 human volunteers produced no untoward systemic or local reactions nor allergic reaction to intradermal inoculation of these volunteers with porcine interferon 24 hours after termination of intranasal administration. These results justify limited clinical trials of therapeutic and prophylactic effectiveness of porcine interferon in viral ARD, using the intranasal route of interferon administration.