[Genetic diversity of human caliciviruses detected in schoolchildren with gastroenteritis in Nizhni Novgorod]

A total of 2312 children admitted to the Nizhni Novgorod infectious disease hospitals for diagnosed acute gastroenteritis were examined using the RT-PCR. The detection rate of human caliciviruses was found to be 6.5% (range 1.2 to 11.2%). The population of calicivuruses presented with noroviruses genogroups I (16%) and II (81%), and sapoviruses (3%). Noroviruses genogroup II included genotypes GII.2 and GII.4 with a preponderance of the variant CII.4-2006b. The detected sapoviruses were clustered with sapoviruses GI.1, GI.2, and GII.1 by phylogenetic analysis.

[Detection rate of MAGE-A1-A6 mRNA in the peripheral blood of cancer patients]

The mRNA expression of 6 MAGE-A (MAGE-A1-A6) antigens by the tumor focal cells and cancer cells circulating in blood was studied in solid malignant and benign neoplasms. MAGE- A1-A6 mRNA expression was detected in the tumor focal cells in more than 90% of cases of cancer of the breast, lung, and stomach and melanoma cell lines. The detection rate of peripheral blood MAGE-A1-A6-positive tumor cells was 95% in lung cancer, 53% in corpus uteri cancer, 67% in gastric cancer, 63% in breast cancer, 33% in melanoma, and 42% in uterine myoma. MAGE-A3 and MAGE-A4 mRNA expression was more commonly observed.

[Aseptic meningitis season caused by enteroviruses in 2007: molecular-epidemiological aspects]

AIM

Analysis of manifestation of epidemic process of aseptic meningitis and causes of its activation using molecular genetic methods.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Samples of feces and CSF, nasopharyngeal swabs from 296 patients with aseptic meningitis (AM), as well as 240 samples of drinking water and 6 samples of lake water were studied. Epidemiologic analysis, isolation of enteroviruses in Hep-2 and RD cell cultures, RT-PCR, partial sequencing of 5'NTR and genome region coding VP1 were performed.

RESULTS

Marked rise of AM caused by enteroviruses in Nizhny Novgorod during 2001 - 2007 was demonstrated. From August to October 2007, enteroviruses were detected in 93.8% of patients with AM (22.5 per thousand). Seasonal rise of incidence was determined by 9 serotypes of enteroviruses: E30 - 26 cases (53.1%), E7 - 7 (14.3%), E18 - 5 (10.3%), E13 - 3 (6.1%), E9 - 2 (4.0%), CB5 - 3 (6.1%),CA1 - 1 (2.0%), CA9 - 1 (2.0%), CA13 - 1 (2.0%). Serotype E30, represented by two subtypes, dominated. Dominating subtype E30-N1 was closely related with E30 strains isolated in 1994 - 2001 in Europe. Subtype E30-N2 was genetically related with Asian strains isolated in 2000 - 2006. RNA of E7, E9, E13, E18, CB5 viruses and dominating subtype E30-N1 were detected in nasopharyngeal swabs from patients with AM, which can explain rapid and wide spread of these viruses in susceptible population by aspiration route of transmission.

CONCLUSION

Increased incidence of AM in Nizhny Novgorod in 2007 was caused by variant of E30 virus, which was genetically related with strains isolated in European countries in 1997.

[Nucleotide sequence analysis of the NSP4 gene from group A rotaviruses isolated in Nizhni Novgorod]

The complete nucleotide sequences of the NSP4 gene from Russian isolates of Group A rotaviruses with different G[P] types obtained in Nizhni Novgorod have been first ascertained. They belong to their affiliation to three NSP4 (A, B, and C) of the 5 known genotypes. Eleven strains had NSP4 genotype. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete nucleotide sequences of the NSP4 gene revealed the sequence homology of G1P[8] viruses with the strains circulating in Scandinavia and that of the G3 type viruses with the strains from South-Eastern Asia. The rotavirus strains G1, G3, G4, and P[8] demonstrated the homology with porcine rotavirus strains, while the strains G3P[6], G3P[9], and G2P[4] did the homology with bovine rotavirus strains. There was an unusual strain of human rotaviruses G3P[9] genetically related to feline rotaviruses.

[Phenotropil use as premedication during out-patient stomatological treatment]

Clinical and pharmacological characteristics of phenotropil were given. Its efficiency in premedication of patients with different individually typological features during out-patient treatment was shown. Also its neurotropic effect and influence on some psychophysiological and hemodinamical indices were studied.

X-ray tomographic imaging of crystal structure at the atomic level

A direct nondiffractive tomographic algorithm is proposed for the determination of the crystal structure from real-space projections obtained by illuminating the sample with white x rays. This approach was applied to the pattern of the directional fine structure in absorption of white x rays recorded for a GaP crystal and allowed for a determination of the electron density distribution within the unit cell.

[Choice criteria of premedication in outpatient stomatologic department]

We have analyzed factors causing stress during out-patient dental treatment. The psychological characteristic of people with prevalence of sthenical and asthenical features were given and dependence of the effect of the medicine on individual features was shown.

[Serum level of soluble forms of membranous antigens of immune system cells in carriers of virus hepatitis G markers]

The levels of soluble CD38 (sCD38), CD50 (sCD50), and CD95 (sCD95) antigens and HLA class I (sHLA-I) were determined in the serum samples from persons infected with hepatitis G virus (HGV). HGV monoinfection was accompanied by a rise in the serum content of sCD38, sCD50, and sCD95 antigens. The serum presence of HGV RNA and anti-E2 HGV antibodies was characterized by the normal content of sCD38 and sCD95 while the level of sCD50 was elevated and the serum content of sHLA-I was decreased. If the serum contained only anti-E2 HGV antibodies, the level of sCD50 remained increased 4-fold. It is suggested that the higher adhesion-inhibiting level of sCD50 is a reason of a weak immune response to HGV and hence of a long HGV persistence in the body.

[Production of full length DNA copies of genomic segments of influenza virus using DNA recombination in the process of polymerase chain reaction]

The case study comprises a description of a method used for producing the full-length cDNA complementary to influenza virus segments made through the recombination of homologous DNA fragments in the process of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The detailed protocol of the method is presented alongside with a discussion of the advantages of the suggested approach.

[Assessment of a developed "nested" variant of polymerase chain reaction for detecting enteroviruses in patients]

The RT-PCR assay for the detection of all human enteroviruses was used to analyze fecal samples, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), respiratory tract swabs, and sera from 204 patients with symptoms of viral infection. Enteroviruses were detected in 31.37% of cases. The proposed method analyzes every type of clinical samples. The relative detection rate of enteroviruses in different samples was 70.64% in feces, 10.4% in SCF, 17.24% in swabs, and 21.14% in the sera. The use of serum in addition to other testing samples increased the rate of enterovirus detection at 18.25%. Developing techniques may be used for the diagnosis of acute enterovirus infections with different clinical manifestations.

[Genome analysis of hepatitis C virus strain 274933RU isolated in Russian Federation]

Five overlapping cDNA fragments of hepatitis C virus (HCV) isolate 274933RU, obtained by RT-PCR, were amplified and cloned. Complete nucleotide RNA sequence has been determined. The genomic organization of 274933RU was, from 5' to 3' terminals, 5' UTR (341 nt), polyprotein ORF (9033 nt), 3' UTR (40 nt except for the poly(U-UC) and polypyrimidine stretch), and X-tail (98 nt). Phylogenetic analysis of the core and NS5 genes showed that the isolated strain belonged to HCV 1b subtype.

[Genetic analysis of West Nile fever virus, isolated in the south of the Russian plain (Volgograd and Astrakhan regions) in 1999]

Two strains of West Nile virus, Vlg 27889 and Ast 986, were isolated from the brain of a dead man and from the blood of a patient, respectively, during an outbreak of serous meningitis and meningoencephalitis in July-September, 1999, in the Volgograd and Astrakhan regions. Analysis of parts of genome of the strains cloned from cell culture by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction demonstrated their identity and appurtenance to group I West Nile viruses.

[Determination of hepatitis G virus markers in various risk groups]

Study of prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) markers in different risk groups showed the presence of HGV RNA in 3.2% blood donors, 24.2% patients with hepatitis C (HCV), and 28% patients with hemophilia. HGV antibodies were detected in 11.3% donors, 16.0% patients with HCV, 13.4% patients with hemophilia, and 8.5% HIV-infected subjects. Anti-E1 HGV were more often detected in the absence of HGV RNA. Antibodies to HGV E2 protein were significantly more often detected in adult HCV patients but not in adolescent patients aged 8-15 years.