[Kisemayo virus, a representative of the Bhanja antigenic group].

Previously unknown Kisemayo virus first isolated in 1974 from Rhipicephalus pulchellus ticks collected in Somali shows antigenic relationship with Bhanja virus in HI tests, however, is readily differentiated from the latter in this test. No cross relations between these agents are demonstrable in CFT, agar gel diffusion and precipitation test or neutralization test. These results suggest formation of a new antigenic group including Bhanja and Kisemayo viruses among arboviruses.

[Production of recombinants antigenically identical to influenza virus strains circulating in nature].

Recombination of a human influenza virus with an avian influenza virus produced a H2Nav2 recombinant with the antigenic properties analogous to those of avian influenza virus (H2Nav2) isolated from wild ducks in the Far East, USSR. Recombination of two avian influenza viruses yielded a recombinant H2N2, an antigenic analogues of influenza A/Singapore/1/57 (H2N2) virus which had started an epidemic of influenza in 1957.

[Influenza virus A/Anas acute/Maritime Territory/730/76(H3N2) isolated from wild ducks in the Maritime Territory].

A strain A/Anas acuta/Primorie/730/76 was isolated in the autumn of 1976 from wild pintails in the Primorskiy kray, USSR, and found by the H1 and neuraminidase activity inhibition test to be antigenically related to the reference A/Hong Kong/1/68 strain. The CFT showed the A/Anas acuta/Primorie/730/76 strain to contain in its hemagglutinin 3 antigenic determinants: two common with the A/Hong Kong/1/68 strain and one the strain-specific, lacking in the human influenza viruses of the H3N2 antigenic formula.

[Kyzylagach virus (family Togaviridae, genus alphaviruses), a new arbovirus isolated from Culex modestus mosquitoes trapped in the Azerbaijani SSR].

A strain of LEIV 65A virus was isolated in 1969 from Culex modestus mosquitoes collected in the Kyzylagach preserve, the Azerbaijan SSR, in a colony of Ciconiiformes birds. Investigations of the antigenic properties of this virus by the complement fixation and neutralization tests as well as by electron microscopy showed it to belong to alphaviruses of the Togaviridae family. Kyzylagach virus had one-way relations with Sindbis virus.

[Physicochemical properties of the Okhotsky virus].

Purified concentrated Okhotsky virus was prepared. The buoyant densities of its virions were determined in sucrose and cesium chloride gradients and found to be 1.16--1.

[Isolation of strains of the Hong Kong complex (H3N2) influenza virus from Nyctalus noctula bats in Kazakhstan].

Four antigenically related hemagglutinating agents were isolated from pools of lungs and tracheas of Nyctalus noctula bats in chick embryos. Identification of the isolates by the hemagglutination inhibition, neuraminidase activity inhibition and double immunodiffusion methods revealed close antigenic relationships with A/Port Chalmers/73 virus.

[Morphological data on the reproductive characteristics of the LEIV-108A and LEIV-3306 Uz strains of the Baku virus in chick fibroblast cell culture].

Electron microscopic examinations of chick fibroblast cells 24 hours after inoculation with LEIV-108A and LEIV-3306 Uz strains of Baku virus revealed the following: in the nuclei of the cells infected with the LEIV-108A strain fine granular matrices were found and virus particles were forming at the periphery of the nucleus; in the LEIV-3306Uz-infected cells virus particles were found budding from the plasma membrane of the cell.

[Chim virus, a new arbovirus isolated from ixodid and argasid ticks collected in the burrows of great gerbils on the territory of the Uzbek SSR].

Five strains of hitherto unknown arbovirus designated Chim by the place of primary collection of ticks was isolated from Ixodid and Argasid ticks collected in the Uzbek SSR in burrows of great gerbils. The virus has no antigenic relationships with arboviruses previously isolated from ticks, its size varies from 100 to 220 nm, it contains RNA and has a lipid-containing envelope. Chim virus is pathogenic only for suckling mice by the intracerebral route and exerts cytopathic effect in continuous L, Rh, BHK cell lines.

[Detection of an agent similar to rotavirus in infantile gastroenteritis].

The etiology of nonbacterial enterovirus infections in children was studied in autumn and winter under conditions of focal outbreaks in Moscow hospitals. Electron microscopy revealed a reovirus-like agent in concentrated suspensions of feces collected in the acute period of the disease from children suffering from diarrhea. Examinations of paired sera from the patients by the CF test with the antigen of Nebraska calf disease virus established significant rises in antibody titers in 68.

[Isolation of influenza virus with the antigenic formula Hav4 Nav2 and Hav5 Nav2 during epizootic infection among sea gulls in the Astrakhan district in the summer of 1976].

Virological examinations of nesting colonies of Laridae birds in the avandelta of the Volga, Astrakhan region, during an epizootic in July, 1976, yielded 5 strains of influenza virus: 3 from Sterna albifrons, 1 from S. hirundo and 1 from Larus genei, identical with A/Sterna hirundo/S. Africa/61 (Hav5 Nav2) virus.

[Antigenic relationships of strains of the epidemic virus H1N1 isolated in November-December 1977 in the USSR to inluenza viruses of human and animal origin].

The results of the study on the antigentic properties of influenza viruses causing an epidemic outbreak in November, 1977, in the USSR established their relationship with human influenza viruses H1N1 to the homologous titer, with H0N1 to 1/16 titer and the virus isolated from whales in the Pacific ocean (H0-H1Nav2) to 1/8 titer. The epidemic strains have been shown to possess neuraminidase of human influenza virus type 1.

[Isolation of influenza strains identical to influenza virus A/Anglia/42/72 from semisynanthropic bird species in Rovno Province, the Ukrainian SSR].

Two strains of influenza virus, A/wagtail/Ukraina/107/74 and A/dove/Ukraina/111/74, were isolated in virological studies of semisynanthropic species of birds shot near villages in the Rovno region (Western Ukraine). Both strains were found to be antigenically identical with influenza A/England/42/72 virus.

[Virological and serological examination of wild birds during the spring migrations in the region of the Manych Reservoir, Rostov Province].

In accordance with the Soviet-American collaboration program on influenza and ARD, cooperative field studies were undertaken in 1975 in the USSR in order to test the field and laboratory methods for studies on influenza virus ecology. In the Rostov region of the USSR, virological and serological examinations of 321 birds of 25 species were carried out. Virological tests were performed with 678 biological specimens and in various serological tests 308 blood serum specimesn from wild birds were examined.