[Vaccine prophylaxis in elderly patients]. / O taktike vaktsinoprofilaktiki u pozhilykh liudei.

In 1997-1999 observation was made on elderly people living in old people's homes and in families, as well as groups of young males living in hostel-type homes, altogether 4,518 subjects. Standard inactivated whole-virion influenza vaccine was introduced in a dose of 0.5 ml subcutaneously in a single injection or intranasally in two administrations. In control groups placebo was used. The frequency of seroconversions to vaccine strains of influenza viruses was significantly less in elderly people than in young people following both subcutaneous and intranasal immunization (on the average, by 15-20%). In young people the prophylactic effectiveness of the vaccine introduced intranasally was the same as after subcutaneous immunization with the effectiveness index (EI) being equal to 2.1-2.8. In elderly people the effectiveness of the vaccine after subcutaneous immunization was the same as in young people (EI = 1.7-2.7), but insufficient after intranasal immunization (EI < or = 1.6). The preparation "Amber elixir plus" enhanced the effectiveness of immunization against influenza in elderly people.

[Specific immune response to vaccination with an inactivated flue vaccine depending on prevaccine status and age of the person vaccinated]. / Spetsificheskii immunnyi otvet na vaktsinatsiiu inaktivirovannoi grippoznoi vaktsinoi v zavisimosti ot prevaktsinal'nogo statusa i vozrasta vaktsiniruemykh.

Specific antibody immune response to vaccination with commercial inactivated trivalent vaccine A(H1N1) + A(H3N2) + B (IgA, IgG, IgG, subclasses G1, G3, G4, and accumulation of antiCD8) was studied in subjects aged 20-95 years. The initial immune status before vaccination is significant for a positive immune response to the vaccine. Subjects responding to immunization by an increment in specific IgG had a much lower prevaccination level of these antibodies than subjects without these Ig conversion. Antibody immune response to vaccination depended on patient's age. All vaccinees aged 20-25 years developed an increment in IgG to at least one of influenza antigens used. Specific postvaccinal immune response to inactivated influenza vaccine included accumulation of G1, G3, and A antibodies, but not G4 or E antibodies. This latter fact suggests the absence of sensitizing effect of vaccination. In elderly subjects an increment in G1, G3, and A antibodies may not involve an increase in the total level of IgG. In part of elderly subjects secretion of specific antibodies was observed in the presence of increased concentration of antilymphocytic antibodies (antiCD8), indicating a possibility of autoimmune reactions in subjects of this age after injection of inactivated influenza vaccine.

[The immunoprophylaxis of influenza among elderly persons]. / Immunoprofilaktika grippa sredi liudei pozhilogo vozrasta.

During three seasons at the period of 1992-1996 immunization of elderly persons, living in homes for old people, against influenza with inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) was carried out. Altogether 856 persons were immunized intranasally, 581 persons constituting the control group. For comparison, 4,825 healthy young adults aged 18-24 years were immunized under similar conditions. The study revealed that the intranasal immunization of elderly persons with IIV, made in two administrations, was safe and stimulated sufficient humoral and secretory immunity: the level of seroconversions was 24.3-41.0% to type A(H1N1) influenza virus, 29.6-50.7% to type A(H3N2) influenza virus, 39.3-59.6% to type B influenza virus; the level of diagnostic IgA conversions was 31-38%. Immunization produced a pronounced prophylactic effect (the effectiveness index 1.6-1.7), as well as decreased the total mortality level by half. The tactics of the immunization of persons from high risk groups against influenza in medical practice is discussed.

[The biological activity of saparal in an influenzal infection]. / Biologicheskaia aktivnost' saparala pri grippoznoi infektsii.

The antiviral and interferon-inducing activity of saparal, an adaptogen of plant origin, was studied. Tests in experimental mice demonstrated the interferon-inducing activity of saparal providing its antiviral effect. An optimal scheme of saparal administration was developed. The preparation had no direct inhibitory effect on influenza virus replication. The application of saparal for prophylaxis among workers resulted in a 2-fold or greater decrease of influenza and other ARD morbidity and in an increase of endogenous serum interferon level in 67-75% of the persons examined.

[Structure of the hemagglutinin gene of the influenza virus during serial passages in chick embryos]. / Struktura gena gemaggliutinina virusa grippa pri seriinykh passazhakhna kurinykh émbrionakh.

The sequence analysis of HA gene of passaged variants of A/USSR/2/85 influenza virus was carried out. It was shown that in the process of passage of virus in chick embryos the structure of HA gene was not changed. These data correlated with those obtained early during investigation of A/Leningrad/337/76 influenza virus by the oligonucleotide mapping.

[Optimization of a method for setting up the neuraminidase activity inhibition reaction (author's transl)]. / Optimizatsiia metoda postanovki reaktsii podavleniia neiraminidaznoi aktivnosti

Different conditions for neuraminidase activity inhibition test using ovomucine as the substrate were compared. The optimal results could be obtained after 1-hour contact of virus with antibody at 37 degrees C and after 18-hour contact of virus-antibody mixture with the substrate also at 37 degrees C. Antineuraminidase antibody titer may be calculated by the results of the test integration in comparison with virus control without correction for normal rabbit serum.