[HCV genome variability in acute and chronic viral hepatitis C].

Aim: To evaluate HCV genome variability in acute and chronic phases of viral hepatitis C.

Material And Methods: The study of heterogeneity of HCV in acute hepatitis C has detected genetic heterogeneity and variability of individual HCV population circulating in the blood. Significant genetic heterogeneity of HCV was observed in 1b, 2a and 3a genotypes.

[Morbidity and mortality in acute viral hepatitides in a hyperendemic region. The role of viral hepatitis E].

Official annual statistical data on morbidity in acute viral hepatitides (AVH), including the number of lethal cases, for 1985-1995 were analyzed. Mortality rates per 100,000 of the population at the period of 11 years were calculated for different age groups, sex and the place of residence. 396 and 99 patients were examined for the presence of serological markers of hepatitides A, B and E, respectively, at the periods of epidemic rises in morbidity and satisfactory epidemic situation.

[Regularities in the spread of hepatitis C virus and its genotypes in Russian and countries within the former USSR].

The incidence of markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV in the blood of 4216 normal subjects living in the European Russia (Northern, North-Western, Central, Central Chernozem, Volga-Vyatka, Volga, and North Caucasian regions), in the Urals, in Siberia (Eastern Siberian region), in the Far East, and in Monogolia is assessed. The incidence of antibodies to HCV varied from 0.7% in the Central region to 3.

[Analysis of the organization of immunodominant epitopes of hepatitis virus E orf2 and orf3 proteins using synthetic peptides].

A set of synthetic peptides of different length derived from proteins encoded by open reading frames (ORF) 1, 2, and 3 of hepatitis E virus (HEV) genome was synthesized and tested for antigenicity in indirect enzyme immunoassay. Peptides 414-433 (ORF2 protein) and 99-119 (ORF3) specifically react with antiHEV-positive sera collected during outbreaks in the Central Asian areas of the former USSR. The antigenic structure of the Central Asian variants and the Burmese types of HEV was found similar.