[Dengue fever in Russian tourists who have come from Thailand].

The review analyzes the major epidemiological and clinical aspects of Dengue fever, by providing the clinical examples of using its imported cases. It gives algorithms for examining patients who have come from tropical countries with the fever of unknown origin. Based on the extensive data available in the literature and international guidelines, the authors present treatment algorithms for out- and inpatients with Dengue fever. Promising studies of vaccination against Dengue fever are analyzed.

[Development of immunopathology in patients with yersinia infection].

AIM: To evaluate clinical significance of changes in IL-6 concentration and neopterin in peripheral blood of patients for prognosis of the course and outcome of yersinia infection (YI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinical examination and laboratory tests, 1-5-year follow-up were conducted in 68 patients with a cyclic, recurrent and lingering course of the disease. IL-6 and neopterin concentrations were measured in the course of the disease. RESULTS: Dynamic control over IL-6 concentrations in the blood of patients with yersinia infection provides information predicting the disease course and prognosis. Blood concentrations of neopterin are of help in prognostication of long-term outcomes of acute infection. CONCLUSION: Pathological syndromes forming in acute stage of yersinia infection are related to interleukin-dependent immunopathology.

[Retrospective analysis of the morphological, cytochemical, cytogenetic, electron microscopic, and biochemical features of blast cells in acute promyelocytic leukemia]. / Retrospektivnyi analiz morfologicheskikh, tsitokhimicheskikh, tsitogeneticheskikh, élektronno-mikroskopicheskikh, biokhimicheskikh osobennostei blastnykh kletok pri ostrom promielotsitarnom leikoze.

The paper presents a retrospective analysis of long-term follow-ups (from 1959 to 2000) of 86 patients with acute pro-myelocytic leukemia, a rare type of hemoblastoses. The specific features of this form of leukemia is that blast cells of the bone marrow and peripheral blood have a specific granularity that plays a decisive role in the development of the severe hemorrhagic syndrome leading to patients' death. The morphological, cytochemical, cytogenetic, electron microscopic, and biochemical features of blast cells in this disease and its pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and treatment are considered. An extract from the records of a female patient who has had a complete clinical and hematological remission for 22 years is given. The follow-up of such a prolonged remission has not been covered in the Russian literature.

HLA-DR4-Ala74 beta is associated with risk and poor outcome of severe aplastic anemia.

Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is a heterogeneous hematological disorder with a high mortality. Genetic predisposition has been shown to play a role in a considerable proportion of SAA cases. For instance, the human lymphocyte antigen HLA-DR2 has been repeatedly demonstrated to be over-represented in SAA patients. In this paper, we expand on the evidence for the contribution of HLA polymorphism in the susceptibility to SAA, which was obtained using the "high-resolution" technique of HLA-DRB1 subtyping. The DRB1*1501 allele appeared to be responsible for the predominance of DR2 specificity in SAA patients and was the most significant risk factor for this disease. It was observed in 23/44 (52.3%) patients versus 22/100 (22.0%) donors [odds ratio (OR) = 3.9; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.8-8.3; P = 0.0005, corrected P (Pc) < 0.05]. In addition, DRB1*04 alleles also displayed non-random distribution in the SAA group. In particular, DRB1*04 variants coding for alanine at position 74 of the DR beta 1 chain (HLA-DR4-Ala74 beta subtype) were detected in all 13 DR4-positive SAA patients but only in 15/24 (62.5%) controls (OR = 16.6; 95% CI: 0.9-312.0; P = 0.015). Multiple comparison analysis confirmed that the HLA-DR4-Ala74 beta subtype confers susceptibility to SAA independently from the DRB1*1501 allele. Finally, examination of the clinical records has shown that the HLA-DR4-Ala74 beta subtype is associated with poor outcome of SAA.

[The treatment results in patients with aplastic anemia using different doses of antilymphocyte globulin]. / Rezul'taty lecheniia bol'nykh aplasticheskoi anemiei razlichnymi dozami antilimfotsitarnogo globulina.

The authors present 5-year survival of 64 patients with aplastic anemia (AA) divided into 2 groups. Group 1 received antilymphocytic globulin (ALG) in low doses (1-5 mg/kg), group 2 in high doses (10-30 mg/kg). Survival of patients with severe AA in group 1 made up 28.5%, with mild AA 90.1%. Overall survival in group 1 was 64.4%, in group 2 53.8%. Overall toxicity came to 48.6%. By resultant complications high and low ALG doses did not differ. The authors propose to use low doses of ALG in mild disease whereas in severe condition high ALG doses are thought adequate.

[IgA, IgM and IgG levels and antibodies to native DNA and collagen type II in the perilymph of patients with otosclerosis]. / Issledovanie urovnia immunoglobulinov klassov A-, M-, G, antitel k nativnoi DNK i kollagenu tipa II v perilimfe bol'nykh otosklerozom.

Investigation of IgA, IgM and IgG levels in the serum of 20 and perilymph of 10 otosclerosis patients discovered a significant rise in the IgG concentrations versus control values. Five otosclerosis patients demonstrated perilymph and serum antibodies to collagen type II. Perilymph of 5 and sera of 10 otosclerosis patients exhibited a high titer of antibodies to native DNA specific for autoimmune process. The findings evidence immune disturbances in otosclerosis proving participation of autoimmune mechanisms in the disease pathogenesis. The results may be helpful in design of the conservative treatments of otosclerosis hypoacusis.