The Changing Epidemiology of Viral Hepatitis in a Post-Soviet Country-The Case of Kyrgyzstan.

Historically, viral hepatitis has been a considerable public health problem in Central Asian countries, which may have worsened after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. However, up-to-date seroepidemiological studies are lacking. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to provide current estimates of the seroprevalence of viral hepatitis in Kyrgyzstan, one of the economically least developed countries in the region.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus, Treponema pallidum, and co-infections among blood donors in Kyrgyzstan: a retrospective analysis (2013-2015).

Background: Post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan has experienced a major surge in blood-borne infections, but data from adequately powered, up-to-date studies are lacking. We thus examined a) the seroprevalences of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), HIV-1 p24 antigen and antibodies against hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), human immunodeficiency viruses (anti-HIV-1/2, HIV-1 group O), and Treponema pallidum among blood donors in Kyrgyzstan and assess their distribution according to sex, age, and provinces of residence; b) trends in the respective seroprevalences; and c) co-infection rates among the pathogens studied.

Methods: Serological screening was performed on 37 165 blood donors at the Republican Blood Centre in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, between January 2013 and December 2015.

[Molecular genetic characterization of the HIV-1 variants abundant in Kirgiziia].

The results of the molecular epidemiological analysis of HIV-1 circulating in Kirghizia were presented. In the area of Kirghizia this type of the work was performed for the first time. Two main genetic variants were discovered: variant IDU-A dominating in the area of the former Soviet Union, as well as recombinant form CRF02_AG.