[Prophylaxis of pertussis: development and use of acellular pertussis vaccine].

Modern data substantiating the expediency of the use of acellular pertussis vaccine were analyzed. Serious postvaccinal complications caused by the action of the corpuscular pertussis component of adsorbed DPT vaccine served as the basis for the development of acellular pertussis vaccine (APV). During the period of 1990-1996 as many as 8 international field trials of the effectiveness of APV were carried out.

Probiotics and mechanisms of their curative action.

Information about probiotics used for the correction of resident normal colon microflora and mechanism of their positive therapeutic actions are presented. Probiotics are drugs containing live microbes or substances of microbial origin that, when introduced by natural methods, are expected to confer beneficial physiologic, biochemical and immune effects to the host through the stabilization and optimization of functions of normal microflora. Probiotics containing the Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Escherichia, Enterococcus, Asporogenic aerobe Bacillus and Saccharomyces boulardii microorganisms are characterized.

[Evaluation of the stability of pertussis vaccine OCO-3 standard].

The evaluation of the immunogenic activity and residual toxicity of the National Standard of pertussis vaccine (OCO-3) was carried out. As shown by observations lasting for a period of 25 years, the preparation possesses stable immunogenicity and its toxicity remained unchanged, which makes it possible to use OCO-3 for the routine control of the pertussis component of commercial lots of adsorbed DPT vaccine.

[Evaluation of the reactogenicity and immunogenic potency of combined vaccine "Bubo-Kok" in the immunization of children against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and viral hepatitis B].

Combined vaccine "Bubo-Kok" is characterized by safety and high immunological activity. The number of postvaccinal reactions in children aged 1 and 2 years, immunized with vaccine "Bubo-Kok", was not statistically different from those in groups of children immunized with adsorbed DPT vaccine, as well with such vaccine in combination with vaccine against hepatitis B. After the completion of the primary course of immunization 100% of children had protective antibody titers against diphtheria, tetanus and hepatitis B.

Comparison of the Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis isolates circulating in Saint Petersburg between 1998 and 2000 with Russian vaccine strains.

We analyzed the Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis isolates circulating in Saint Petersburg that were collected between 1998 and 2000 and compared them with isolates collected 40 years ago and Russian vaccine strains. The analysis involved serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of chromosomal DNA after digestion with XbaI and SpeI, and sequencing of the ptxS1 and prn genes, which encode the S1 subunit of the pertussis toxin and the major adhesin pertactin, respectively. The Russian isolates were classified in five of the six pulsed-field gel electrophoresis groups identified in other European countries.