[Various cellular mechanisms of the action of laser irradiation of blood]. / Nekotorye kletochnye mekhanizmy deistviia lazernogo oblucheniia krovi.

Effect of in vitro exposure to therapeutic He-Ne laser at a wave-length of 630 nm in two modes, 2 and 6 mWt, on the function of blood cells is studied. Exposure to 6 mWt resulted in spontaneous increase of interleukin-1 production by peripheral blood mononuclears. 2 mWt exposure led to increase of erythrocyte deformability and decrease of their viscosity, whereas 6 mWt exposure did not modify these parameters. Laser-effected changes in the production of other cytokines, primarily interleukins 2, 6, and 8, are a perspective trend of research.

[Connection between Epstein-Barr virus infection and HLA phenotype and features of cytokine status in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas]. / Sviaz' infektsii virusom Epshteina-Barr s HLA-fenotipom i osobennostiami tsitokinovogo statusa u bol'nykh so zlokachestvennymi nekhodzhkinskimi limfomami.

Thirty-four primary (untreated) patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were examined. Their HLA phenotype and the production of interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha were assessed. Serological profiles characteristic of the late stages and reactivation of EBV infection were detected in 16 (47.1%) patients. NHL of low malignancy predominated in EBV-infected patients. A greater number of blank HLA-A antigens and a higher incidence of HLA-DR7 antigen was observed in infected patients. Serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor alpha was reliably higher in them, whereas the production of this cytokine by the peripheral blood mononuclears decreased. Hence, serum tumor necrosis factor is a product of transformed B lymphocytes. Spontaneous and stimulated production of interleukin-1 beta by peripheral blood mononuclears was significantly decreased in EBV-infected patients, and the serum concentration of this cytokine similarly had a trend to decrease, which indicates an inhibition of interleukin-1 beta production in EBV-infected patients with NHL.

[A syphilis marker study of blood component donors]. / Issledovanie markerov sifilisa u donorov gemokomponentov.

Laboratory testing of donor blood is the key point in prevention of hemotransmissive syphilis. The probability of using diagnostic EIA kit RecombiBest antipallidum-strip (AO Vektor-Best, Novosibirsk) is assessed. Ninety-two donor sera were tested. For assessing the sensitivity of the test system, 11 sera of syphilis patients were titrated by double dilutions 1:10 to 1:1280 for each strip. In parallel with this, antibodies to T. pallidum were assessed in the precipitation microtest. EIA proved to be not only highly specific, but more sensitive than precipitation microtest. Antibodies to T. pallidum are detected by EIA in serum dilutions at least two times higher than the minimal titers in the precipitation test. Thus, the above diagnostic kit is recommended for screening of donors of blood and its components.

[The Lewis antigen system as a marker of IHD risk]. / Sistema antigenov Lewis kak marker riska IBS.

Prevalence of Lewis antigens and phenotypes has been investigated in 60 healthy donors and 74 patients with ischemic heart disease. It was found that phenotype Le(a-b-) marks high risk and phenotype Le(a-b+) is a resistance marker for development of ischemic heart disease. It would be valid to elucidate relationships between Lewis system and pathogenesis of internal diseases.

[The spread of antibodies to cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma among donors of blood components]. / Rasprostrannenost' antitel k tsitomegalovirusu i toksoplazme u donorov gemokomponentov.

The spread of IgG antibodies to cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma in the blood sera of 323 donors of hemocomponents was studied. Among young males in the northwestern region of Russia three fourths were found to be seropositive to cytomegalovirus and one third, to Toxoplasma. In older ages the proportion of seropositive persons somewhat increased. In donors with blood group O (I) antibodies to cytomegalovirus occurred almost twice as often (91%) as in donors with blood group AB (IV) (47%). Among donors with blood group AB (IV) the proportion of persons seropositive to Toxoplasma (54%) was twice as great as that among donors with blood group O (I) (27%).

[The Epstein-Barr virus in patients with infectious endocarditis]. / Virus Epshteina--Barr u bol'nykh infektsionnym éndokarditom.

Serological markers of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection has been investigated in 28 patients with infectious endocarditis. In 75% of patients IgM antibodies to "early" antigen of the virus which are the marker of active viral infection occurred vs 6.2% among healthy blood donors. Specific for infectious endocarditis reaction profile (anti-EBV combination in one person) indicates reactivation of latent viral infection. The conclusion is made on the necessity of further investigation of both the role of EBV in pathogenesis of pyoseptic diseases and immunologic mechanisms for reactivation of latent viral infections.

[The activation mechanisms in cytomegalovirus infection]. / O mekhanizmakh aktivatsii tsitomegalovirusnoi infektsii.

Antibodies to cytomegalovirus class IgG and IgM and level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the serum were measured in 81 patients with severe surgical infections. In patients with acute lung abscess TNF level was twice higher and activation of cytomegalovirus infection (specific IgM) was three times more frequent than in patients with infectious endocarditis. The conclusion is made that severe surgical infections inducing progressive immunodeficiency create conditions for activation of latent viral infections, cytomegalovirus, in particular). Recommendations on prevention of hemotransmissible cytomegalovirus infection are presented.

[Improving the detection of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in blood component donors]. / K sovershenstvovaniiu opredeleniia antitel k virusu gepatita C u donorov gemokomponentov.

The Avicenna test system (St. Petersburg) for detecting antibodies to hepatitis C is assessed. Two-hundred and ten sera with increased SGPT activity and 73 samples seropositive in screening by the Aquapast test system (St. Petersburg) were examined. Avicenna system with 3 synthetic peptides as the test objects is characterized by a higher sensitivity and specificity and is recommended for practical use at blood service institutions.

[Method of diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus infection]. / Metod diagnostiki infektsii virusom Epshtein-Barr.

An original methodological approach to the diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is proposed, consisting in the detection of viral DNA in peripheral blood lymphocytes using in situ DNA hybridization. EBV DNA was found in 6 (50%) patients with lymphomas and in 1 (33%) with infective endocarditis out of 26 examined recipients of blood components. No EBV DNA was found in peripheral blood lymphocytes of 14 regular donors. Normalization of the immune status of a patient and use of blood components containing no EBV is the key factor in the prevention of EBV infection. Biohit test system for in situ hybridization of EBV DNA may be used for diagnostic monitoring of EBV infection and screening of blood and tissue donors.

[2-stage determination of rhesus classification]. / Dvukhétapnoe opredelenie rezus-prinadlezhnosti.

A new two-staged method for identifying the rhesus appurtenance of the blood is proposed. During the first stage anti-D-super (IgM monoclonal anti-D-antibodies) are used, during the second stage rhesus appurtenance is identified in a tube using standard universal reagent for determining rhesus factor RhO(D) or it is done using gelatin test with Anti-D (IgG monoclonal anti-D-antibodies). A negative result at stage 1 and positive at stage 2 is a sign of partial antigen D, most probably of the VIth category. Subjects with partial D are qualified as rhesus-positive donors and rhesus-negative recipients.

[Determination of the rhesus classification of the blood]. / K opredeleniiu rezus-prinadlezhnosti krovi.

The article describes the new two-stage method of determining of Rh-factor belonging. At the first stage tsoliclon "Anti-D-super" (monoclonic anti-D-antibody class IgM) was used. At the second stage Rh-factor belonging is determined in test-tube, using standard universal reagent for definition Rh-factor RhO (D). Combination of negative results at the first stage with positive ones at the second stage is a sign of partial antigen D, most probably category VI. The persons with partial D are qualified as Rh-positive donors and Rh-negative recipients.

[Comparative characteristics of a test system for detecting antibodies to hepatitis C virus]. / Sravnitel'naia kharakteristika test-sistem dlia opredeleniia antitel k virusu gepatita C.

The sensitivities and specificities of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits for the detection of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) were compared in donor blood screening. A total of 3308 donors were examined using Akvapast immunodiagnosticum (St. Petersburg), lot 12. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 43 (1.3%) subjects. Blood sera of these donors were additionally investigated using other lots of Akvapast, Hepascan (Bioservice, Moscow), Blot-0.5 (Bioservice, Moscow), and immunoComb (France). The studies demonstrated that none of the agents used can be acknowledged as ideally sensitive and specific for the detection of anti-HCV antibodies. Maximally sensitive diagnostic kits should be preferred for the screening of donors of blood components and for other mass surveys. Highly-specific test systems are advisable for profound examinations and diagnostic monitoring. The creation of a system of reference and expert diagnosis of hepatitis C remains a pressing task.

[The problem of cytomegalovirus infection in military blood transfusions]. / Problema tsitomegalovirusnoi infektsii v voennoi transfuziologii.

The actuality of a problem of cytomegaloviral infection in military transfusiology is substantiated by the increasing number of immunocompromised recipients, mass use of hemocomponent therapy in prophylaxis and correction of anemia, thrombohemorrhagic and immunodeficient syndromes. Cytomegaloviral infection in the recipients of hemocomponents may have unfavourable consequences, such as the development of mononucleosis, enhanced sensitivity to opportunistic infectious agents as a result of virus-induced immunodepression, graft rejection, risk of the development of oncologic diseases, atherosclerosis, disorders in the processes of reparation and regeneration. In the northwestern part of Russia the cytomegaloviral antigens are disclosed in 65-75% of men, age 18-23. Actual tasks are the following: put into practice cytomegaloviral antigens test for donors, make a wide use of effective leukocytic filters for leukocyte removal from hemotransfusional medium, minimize posttransfusion immunosuppression, determine recipients who need transfusions of hemocomponents prepared from seronegative donors.