Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy of a Single Intranasal Dose Vectored Vaccine Based on Sendai Virus (Moscow Strain) against SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern.

The mouse paramyxovirus Sendai, which is capable of limited replication in human bronchial epithelial cells without causing disease, is well suited for the development of vector-based intranasal vaccines against respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2. Using the Moscow strain of the Sendai virus, we developed a vaccine construct, Sen-Sdelta(M), which expresses the full-length spike (S) protein of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant. A single intranasal delivery of Sen-Sdelta(M) to Syrian hamsters and BALB/c mice induced high titers of virus-neutralizing antibodies specific to the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant.

Nearly complete genome sequences of the first two identified Colorado potato beetle viruses.

The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most devastating potato pests in the world. However, its viral pathogens, which might have potential in pest control, have remained unexplored. With high-throughput sequencing of Colorado potato beetle samples derived from prepupal larvae which died from an unknown infection, we have identified two previously unknown RNA viruses and assembled their nearly complete genome sequences.

A New Cypovirus-1 Strain as a Promising Agent for Lepidopteran Pest Control.

Now more than ever researchers provide more and more evidence that it is necessary to develop an ecologically friendly approach to pest control. This is reflected in a sharp increase in the value of the biological insecticide market in recent decades. In our study, we found a virus strain belonging to the genus (Reoviridae); the strain was isolated from , possessing attractive features as a candidate for mass production of biological agents for lepidopteran-pest control.

The Metagenomic Analysis of Viral Diversity in Colorado Potato Beetle Public NGS Data.

The Colorado potato beetle (CPB) is one of the most serious insect pests due to its high ecological plasticity and ability to rapidly develop resistance to insecticides. The use of biological insecticides based on viruses is a promising approach to control insect pests, but the information on viruses which infect leaf feeding beetles is scarce. We performed a metagenomic analysis of 297 CPB genomic and transcriptomic samples from the public National Center for Biotechnology Information Sequence Read Archive (NCBI SRA) database.

Increased Expression Enhances SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 Production in Vero-Derived Transgenic Cell Lines.

Coronaviridae is a family of single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses that can cause diseases with high mortality rates. SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV appeared in 2002‒2003 and 2012, respectively. A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in 2019 in Wuhan (China) and has caused more than 5 million deaths in worldwide.

[Increased LAMP1 Expression Enhances SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 Production in Vero-Derived Transgenic Cell Lines].

Coronaviridae is a family of single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses that can cause diseases with high mortality rates. SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV appeared in 2002-2003 and 2012, respectively. A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in 2019 in Wuhan (China) and has caused more than 5 million deaths in worldwide.

The Tissue Distribution of SARS-CoV-2 in Transgenic Mice With Inducible Ubiquitous Expression of hACE2.

The novel coronavirus disease COVID-19 has become one of the most socially significant infections. One of the main models for COVID-19 pathogenesis study and anti-COVID-19 drug development is laboratory animals sensitive to the virus. Herein, we report SARS-CoV-2 infection in novel transgenic mice conditionally expressing human ACE2 (hACE2), with a focus on viral distribution after intranasal inoculation.

Deletion of BST2 Cytoplasmic and Transmembrane N-Terminal Domains Results in SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and Influenza Virus Production Suppression in a Vero Cell Line.

SARS-CoV-2, which emerged in Wuhan (China), has become a great worldwide problem in 2020 and has led to more than 1,000,000 deaths worldwide. Many laboratories are searching for ways to fight this pandemic. We studied the action of the cellular antiviral protein tetherin, which is encoded by the BST2 gene.

Sensitive Multiplex Real-time RT-qPCR Assay for the Detection of Filoviruses.

Filoviruses are important etiological agents of emergent diseases with high mortality rates. Traditionally, filovirus fever diseases have primarily been a burden of African countries; however, global interconnectedness has increased the probability of the worldwide spread of filoviruses. Therefore, national healthcare organizations need tools for managing filovirus risk, including diagnostic kits based on real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR), as this is the most suitable method for diagnosing filovirus fever diseases.

Survival of aerosolized coronavirus in the ambient air.

An inactivation of airborne pathogenic Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) virus was investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. Two sets of climatic conditions were used in the experiments; (1) representing common office environment (25 °C and 79% RH) and (2) climatic conditions of the Middle Eastern region where the virus was originated from (38 °C and 24% RH). At the lower temperature, the virus demonstrated high robustness and strong capability to survive with about 63.

Successful post-exposure prophylaxis of Ebola infected non-human primates using Ebola glycoprotein-specific equine IgG.

Herein we describe production of purified equine IgG obtained from horses immunized with plasmid DNA followed by boosting with Kunjin replicon virus-like particles both encoding a modified Ebola glycoprotein. Administration of the equine IgG over 5 days to cynomolgus macaques infected 24 hours previously with a lethal dose of Ebola virus suppressed viral loads by more than 5 logs and protected animals from mortality. Animals generated their own Ebola glycoprotein-specific IgG responses 9-15 days after infection, with circulating virus undetectable by day 15-17.

Cowpox in a human, Russia, 2015.

We investigated the first laboratory-confirmed human case of cowpox virus infection in Russia since 1991. Phylogenetic studies of haemagglutinin, TNF-α receptor-like protein and thymidine kinase regions showed significant differences with known orthopoxviruses, including unique amino-acid substitutions and deletions. The described cowpox virus strain, taking into account differences, is genetically closely related to strains isolated years ago in the same geographical region (European part of Russia and Finland), which suggests circulation of viral strains with common origin in wild rodents without spread over long distances and appearance in other parts of the world.

Using the Ground Squirrel (Marmota bobak) as an Animal Model to Assess Monkeypox Drug Efficacy.

In experiments to study the sensitivity of ground squirrels (Marmota bobak) to monkeypox virus (MPXV) at intranasal challenge, expressed pox-like clinical symptoms (hyperthermia, lymphadenitis, skin rash all over the body and mucous membranes and others) were observed 7-9 days post-infection. The 50% infective dose (ID ) of MPXV for these marmots determined by the presence of clinical signs of the disease was 2.2 log PFU.

A Kunjin Replicon Virus-like Particle Vaccine Provides Protection Against Ebola Virus Infection in Nonhuman Primates.

The current unprecedented outbreak of Ebola virus (EBOV) disease in West Africa has demonstrated the urgent need for a vaccine. Here, we describe the evaluation of an EBOV vaccine candidate based on Kunjin replicon virus-like particles (KUN VLPs) encoding EBOV glycoprotein with a D637L mutation (GP/D637L) in nonhuman primates. Four African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) were injected subcutaneously with a dose of 10(9) KUN VLPs per animal twice with an interval of 4 weeks, and animals were challenged 3 weeks later intramuscularly with 600 plaque-forming units of Zaire EBOV.

Molecular epidemiology of noroviruses associated with sporadic gastroenteritis in children in Novosibirsk, Russia, 2003-2012.

Noroviruses (NoVs) are an important cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. To monitor the molecular epidemiology of NoVs genogroup II (GII) in Novosibirsk, Russia, a total of 10,198 stool samples from young children hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis and two asymptomatic comparison groups were collected from 2003 to 2012. All samples were screened for the presence of NoV GII, rotavirus, and astrovirus by RT-PCR.

The Possibility of Using the ICR Mouse as an Animal Model to Assess Antimonkeypox Drug Efficacy.

As a result of the conducted experimental studies on intranasal challenge of ICR mice, rabbits and miniature pigs (even in the maximum variant) with the doses of 4.0-5.5 lg PFU of monkeypox virus (MPXV), some clinical signs such as purulent conjunctivitis, blepharitis and ruffled fur were found only in mice.

[Development of the disease in marmot at the intranasal infection with the monkeypox virus].

In experimental study the sensitivity of the Marmota bobak species to the monkeypox virus (MPXV) with the intranasal (i/n) infection was tested. It was demonstrated that 50% of the infective dose (ID50) of the MPXV on external clinical signs of the disease was 2.2 Ig plaque forming units (PFU).

[A comparative study of the antiviral activity of chemical compounds concerning the orthopoxviruses experiments in vivo].

In the experiments using intranasal (i/n) infection of mice with the ectromelia virus (EV) in a dose 10 LD50/head (10 x 50% lethal doselhead) or with the monkaypox virus (MPXV) in a dose 10 ID50/head (10 x 50% infective dose/ head) it was demonstrated that the antiviral efficiency of chemical compounds - the condensed derivatives of pyrrolidin-2,5-dion, as well as their predecessors and the nearest analogues, synthesized in Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (NIOCH SB RAS) was observed. As a positive control we used the antipoxvirus chemical preparation ST-246 available from SIGA Technologies Inc. (USA), synthesized in NIOCH SB RAS by the technique suggested by the authors.

[Molecular genetic characteristics of astroviruses circulating in Novosibirsk].

A total of 1107 fecal samples from young children admitted to hospital for acute enteric infection in January to December 2007 were tested for astroviruses. Astroviruses were detected in 64 (5.8%) of the 1107 stool samples, only 50% of them were found as monoinfections.

[Rotaviruses in younger children in Novosibirsk in 2005-2007: detection and genotyping].

Examination of 1898 patients with acute enteric infection from March 2005 to February 2007 showed that group A rotaviruses were the most frequent cause (35%) of acute gastroenteritis among children under 3 years of age. Majority of cases of rotavirus infection was detected in infants under 1 year of age (71.8%).

[Study of antituberculous activity of moxifloxacin conjugate with macrophage scavenger-receptor ligand].

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an intracellular pathogen that persists in macrophages of the human host. An approach to improving the treatment of tuberculosis is target delivery of antibiotics to macrophages using ligands to macrophage receptors. The antituberculous activity of the conjugate of the antituberculous antibiotic moxifloxacin with carboxymethylglucan was studied in vitro using the J774 macrophage cell line and peritoneal macrophages.

[Evaluation of reasons of the MDR M. tuberculosis strains dissemination by analysis of the rifampicin and/or isoniazid resistant isolates].

During the last years in Novosibirsk region of Russia the rate of TB patients infected by MDR strains of M. tuberculosis has been constantly increasing. This increase may occur as a result of the spontaneously mutated mycobacterium selection during treatment of patients or as a result of primary infection by the resistant M.

[Molecular and genetic characterization of rifampicin- and/or izoniazid-resistent strains of M. tuberculosis, isolated in Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions].

The purpose of the work was to study rifampicin- and izoniazid-resistent strains of M. tuberculosis, circulating in Western Siberia, by VNTR and IS6110 typing. The authors also studied genetic causes of resistance to these antibiotics and undertook a search of new VNTR loci, displaying polymorphism in genomes of closely related clonally-disseminated variants of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in W-Beijing family model analysis.