[Laboratory criteria for assessing the safety of candidate strains for live vaccines against tick-borne encephalitis]. / O laboratornykh kriteriiakh otsenki bezopastnosti shtammov-kandidatov dlia zhivoi vaktsiny protiv kleshchevogo éntsefalita.

The authors present the results of studies on the construction of highly sensitive primers for rapid diagnosis of infections caused by Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and cytomegalovirus. An oligonucleotide primer to HSV-1 is described, which permits detection of HSV-1 DNA in infected cultures and in clinical material in dilution 10(-7), whereas the "universal" primer constructed on the basis of published data detects both HSV-1 and HSV-2 only in dilution 10(-4). Study of the clinical material in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) vs. virus isolation in infected cell cultures permitted us assess the diagnostic value of this reaction with the constructed primers as high. Use of two pairs of primers (those designed to HSV-1 and the "universal") permitted a differential diagnosis in the PCR between HSV-1 and HSV-2 in clinical material. Highly specific oligonucleotide primers were designed for the rapid diagnosis of cytomegaloviral infection, and clinical material was investigated making use of these primers.

[Characteristics of neurovirulence, stability, and immunogenicity of attenuated variants of TP-21 Langat virus]. / Kharakteristiki neirovirulentnosti, stabil'nosti i immunogennosti oslablennykh variantov virusa Langat TP-21.

Clones of Langat TP-21 virus with neurovirulence for primates much lower than that of Elantsev 15-20/3 strain may be obtained by threshold dilutions method on mice. Neurovirulence for monkeys of L1-L5 clones of Langat TP-21 virus obtained at our laboratory was similar to neurovirulence of A.Sabin's type III vaccinal poliomyelitis virus. Attenuated clones of Langat virus are stable and retain protective properties in experiments with mouse protection from pathogenic viruses of tick-borne encephalitis complex.

[The neurovirulence of variants of the Langat TP-21 virus in experiments on different species of lower monkeys]. / Neirovirulentnost' variantov virusa Langat TP-21 v opytakh na nizshikh obez'ianakh raznykh vidov.

Neurovirulence of the attenuated strains of Langat TP-21 virus was tested in monkeys of 5 species: M. mulatta, M. fascicularis, M. nemestrina, C. aethiops, and P. hamadryas. The individual susceptibility of the animals to the infection varied but there was no difference in species susceptibility. The monkeys were more susceptible to intraspinal than to intrathalamic inoculations. The animals not adapted to the laboratory conditions were more susceptible to infection than the adapted ones. The lesions in the spinal cord were the most informative pathomorphological data for differentiation of attenuated strains of Langat TP-21 virus.

[A live vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis: the principles of selecting the vaccinal strains]. / Zivaia vaktsina protiv kleshchevogo éntsefalita: printsipy otbora vaktsinnykh shtammov.

The comparative, semiquantitative, pathomorphological study of the neurovirulence of clones of Elantsev virus and Langat virus TP-21 for intracerebrally infected monkeys has been carried out. The study has revealed that the viruses may be differentiated by their neurovirulence for primates according to the average statistical data on the degree of pathomorphological changes in the central nervous system, but not to maximum lesions in cerebral structures. The level of neurovirulence of yellow fever virus 17D was formerly considered to be the highest admissible limit of residual neurovirulence of encephalitogenic viruses (flaviviruses). According to our data, Elantsev virus, used for the immunization of humans and known to have caused some cases of encephalitis, is similar to yellow fever virus with respect to its neurovirulence for primates: therefore, a candidate strain intended for the preparation of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccine must be significantly less neurovirulent. The neurovirulence of clones isolated from Langat virus TP-21 has proved to be essentially lower than that of Elantsev virus clones. Langat virus TP-21 is a promising source of clones suitable for use as candidates for live TBE vaccine. Search for vaccine strains by testing their neurovirulence in experiments on several strains of mice and their hybrids, on hamsters and on immunosuppressed animals is methodologically groundless. The adequate evaluation of the level of residual neurovirulence of viruses to be used as candidates for live TBE vaccine can be made only on monkeys.

[Comparative clinico-roentgenological characteristics of degenerative-dystrophic changes in various segments of the spine]. / Sravnite'lnaia kliniko-rentgenologicheskaia kharakteristika degenerativno-distroficheskikh izmenenii razlichnykh segmentov pozvonochnika.

A combined clinico-roentgenological investigation was performed in 306 patients with degenerative-dystrophic changes in the vertebral column. Roentgenological signs and peculiarities of degenerative-dystrophic changes of different vertebral segments are described with special reference to their earlier stages. Established were the causes of neurological signs connected with degenerative-dystrophic changes of the vertebral column which have clinical implications.

[Differential roentgenodiagnosis of congenital craniocerebral hernias]. / Differentsial'naia rentgenodiagnostika vrozhdennykh cherepno-mozgovykh gryzh.

Ninety-three patients with congenital craniocerebral hernia were subjected to clinical and X-ray examination. Signs characteristic of each type of congenital craniocerebral hernias were detected. Congenital craniocerebral hernia was combined with other developmental anomalies of the skull and brain in 31% of cases. Differential X-ray diagnosis is made between congenital craniocerebral hernias and traumatic birth hernias, traumatic midline hernias, cholesteatoma, dermoids and epidermoids of the orbit, polyps, papilloma, and fibrous tumors. It was established that X-ray examination plays a very important role in disclosing the bone hernial canal. The surgeon must have an exact idea of this canal before undertaking operation for plastics of the hernial defect.

[Craniography in brain tumors]. / Kraniografiia pri opukholiakh golovnogo mozga.

X-ray examination of 57 patients with tumours of the brain and meninges revealed general and local roentgenological alterations of the skull bones as well as secondary changes in the sella turcica. Tumours of the brain and meninges were associated with a diminution or an enlargement of the volume of the skull bones, intensification of the vascular pattern of the cranial vault and tumour calcification. A thorough craniographic examination of patients with a suspicion of brain and meningeal tumours gives definite information about general and local alterations of the skull bones and contributes to their purposeful radiographic contrast examination, which is important when surgery is contemplated.

[Roentgenodiagnosis of disk herniation in osteochondrosis]. / O rentgenodiagnostike gryzh diskov pri osteokhondroze.

Seventy-six patients with disk hernia of the vertebral column were subjected to comprehensive examination with the help of modern research methods (pneumomyelography, peridurography and diskography). The data obtained made it possible to present detailed roentgenological characteristics of degenerative dystrophic changes of the disk with the description of the localization of disk hernia, the degree of its prolapse into the vertebral column and attendant complications (arachnoidites and epidurites).