[When will the new tuberculosis vaccine appear?].

The problem of tuberculosis prophylaxis remains actual for many countries of the world including Russia. The search of candidates for substitution of the only authorized BCG vaccine has been ongoing for some time, because it does not prevent reactivation of the causative agent in the latent stage and causes generalized BCG-infection in individuals with pronounced immune deficiency. In October 2013 in Lille at the European Congress "World Vaccine 2013" results of multi-year projects and trials of around 40 novel tuberculosis vaccine candidates were presented.

[IgM, IgG and IgG subclass antibodies to herpes simplex virus in persons of different ages].

IgM, IgG antibodies to herpes simplex virus and their subclases were investigated in 565 subjects of different age tested at virological laboratories of St. Petersburg in 1996-1997. The majority of these subjects had a history of herpes infection and 21.

[Frequency of acute cytomegalovirus infections among people of differing age groups].

The incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was assessed from the presence of anti-CMV IgM in the sera of 1312 children of different age and 250 adults by the Labsystems enzyme immunoassay kit. CMV-specific IgM are rare in newborns (1.3%), but their incidence increases to 5% during the first year of life.

[Development and application of immunoenzyme test-system for the diagnosis of acute cytomegalovirus infection].

Enzyme immunoassay for the detection of IgM antibodies to human cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been developed. Use of horseradish peroxidase conjugated monoclonal antibodies to human IgM helped create a highly specific test system. The rheumatoid factor was removed from the serum by staphylococcal reagent containing protein A.

[A comparative study of the protective properties of live recombinant and inactivated influenza vaccines made from strain A/Philippines/2/82 (H3N2) in 8- to 15-year-old children].

A limited controlled comparative study for the evaluation of the epidemiological efficacy of live recombinant and inactivated virion vaccines from A/Philippines/2/82-like strains of influenza A (H3N2) virus was carried out in schoolchildren of 8 to 15 years of age. During the influenza epidemic of 1987-1988 caused by influenza A/Sichuan/2/87 (H3N2)-like strains and by influenza B virus in 8.2-17% of cases, a statistically significant efficacy index for live influenza vaccine was 1.

[A comparative study of the inoculation properties of live recombinant and inactivated influenza vaccines made from strain A/Philippines/2/82 (H3N2) in 8- to 15-year-old children].

This study was carried out to compare reactogenicity, immunogenicity, and efficacy of live attenuated and inactivated influenza vaccines prepared from influenza A/Philippines/2/82-like virus strains. Schoolchildren of a boarding school of Moscow were randomly divided into three groups: (1) vaccinated with a live attenuated vaccine, (2) vaccinated with inactivated influenza vaccine, and (3) given placebo. Both vaccines were well tolerated by the children, with practically no severe general or local reactions.

Studies on influenza-virus virulence in recombinants between epidemic and vaccine strains.

Influenza virus recombinants between epidemic strains A/Brazil/11/78 (H1N1), A/USSR/382/78 (H3N2) and vaccine strains A/Leningrad/9/46 (H1N1), A/Victoria/35/72/50 (H3N2) have been tested for virulence for humans and albino mice; their genome structure has also been determined. It has been shown that after the replacement of surface antigens of A/Leningrad/9/46 (H1N1) strain by surface antigens of A/Brazil/11/78 (H1N1) or A/USSR/382/78 (H3N2), strains, the virus becomes totally nonpathogenic for mice whereas its virulence for humans is enhanced. The combination in recombinant X/28 (H1N1) of haemagglutinin and neuraminidase of A/Brazil/11/78 (H1N1) virus and othercomponents of A/Leningrad/9/46 virus determines its high affinity to the epithelium of the upper respiratory tract of humans, as well as its marked virulence for seronegative volunteers.

[Infectivity of influenza viruses for an organ culture of human embryonic trachea and the change in this trait in recombination].

The infecting and reproduction activity of epidemic and vaccine strains of influenza virus as well as their recombinants was studied in human embryo trachea culture. At a certain combination of genes the recombinants showed new qualities: increased tropism to cells of the human upper respiratory tract and intensified virus reproduction in these cells. Of special interest was a recombinant containing the inner proteins of A/Leningrad/9/46 (H0N1) virus and external proteins of A/Brazil/11/78 (H1N1) virus.

[Variability of the virulent properties of influenza A viruses in recombination].

The pattern of redistribution of human virulence in epidemic strains of influenza viruses in recombination with human avirulent strains was studied. In the course of recombination of epidemic and attenuated influenza virus strains variants with different human virulence were obtained. Some recombinants manifested enforced reactogenic properties as compared with the epidemic strain (X/28, M/35, and 0/26--H1N1, and 2P--H3N2).

[Biological properties and genome structure of recombinant strains of influenza A virus differing in their degree of human virulence].

The genome structure and some biological properties of parental and recombinant strains of influenza viruses differing by degrees of virulence for man were studied. The vaccine A/Leningrad/9/46 (H0N1) strain was shown to be markedly toxic and pathogenic for mice in contrast to influenza A/Brazil/11/78 and A/Victoria/35/72/50 viruses completely devoid of these properties. The recombinants deriving all 6 genes of the inner proteins of influenza A/Leningrad/9/46 strains and hemagglutinin and neuraminidase of the epidemic A/Brazil/11/78 strain have completely lost their pathogenicity for mice but acquired marked virulence for man.

[Parent and recombinant influenza virus A strains differing in the degree of remantadine sensitivity].

The pattern of inheritance in recombination of various degrees of sensitivity of influenza viruses to remantadine was studied and the genes responsible for the manifestation of this character with regard to the degree of the strain sensitivity to the inhibitor were determined. The results suggest that resistance to 10 microgram/ml remantadine in most cases was determined by the inheritance of the gene coding for the membrane protein, whereas the sensitivity to 10 microgram/ml remantadine most frequently correlated with inheritance of hemagglutinin of the strain sensitive to this inhibitor. The resistance to high remantadine concentration was shown to have features of a polygenic marker as indicated by the occurrence of intermediate forms among the recombinants.

[Structure of the genomes of recombinant strains of influenza A viruses with various antigenic and biological properties].

Genomes of influenza A/WSN/33, A/Singapore/57 and recombinant X-7 and X-9 viruses were studied by the method of molecular hybridization followed by electrophoretic separation of RNA-duplexes in polyacrylamide gel. The genome of the recombinant X-7 influenza virus strain was found to contain fragments V and VII of RNA corresponding to fragments of A/Singapore/57 RNA, whereas fragments III, IV, and VIII were derived from influenza A/WSN/33 virus. Recombinant X-9 had fragments III, IV, and VII of RNA similar to those of A/Singapore/57, and fragments V,VIII of RNA derived from influenza A/WSN/33 virus.

[Analysis of the RNA in different strains of the influenza A virus].

The degree of affinity of influenza A/WSN/33 and A/Singapore/57 virus genomes was studied by the method of molecular hybridization which showed the presence in their genomes of 54--57% of analogous sequences. The electrophoretic analysis of RNA--RNA hybrids formed in hybridization of both homologous and heterologous virion and virus-induced RNAs of influenza viruses revealed significant differences in base sequences of the IV, V, and VIII fragments of influenza A/WSN/33 virus RNA and the corresponding fragments of influenza A/Singapore/57 virus RNA; the III and VII fragments of these strains have sites also differing in base sequences at the ends of molecules.

Comparative study of the electrophoretic mobility of the RNA of influenza parent and recombinant strains.

The electrophoretic mobility of the RNA of Influenza viruses A/WSN, A/Singapore and their antigenic recombinants X-7 and X-9 was investigated. The genome of each virus studied consisted of seven pieces of RNA. The electrophoretic profile of the influenza virus A/WSN RNA differed from that of A/Singapore but resumbled that of the recombinant X-9 genome.

[Electrophoretic motility of RNA of recombinant influenza virus strains X-7 and X-9].

The electrophoretic motilitiy of RNA of recombinant influenza virus strains X-7 and X-9 differing in the antigenic structure of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase was studied. The genome of these viruses was found to be fragmentary and to consist of 7 RNA molecules. Significant differences in the electrophoretic motility of the middle-molecular RNA compounds of influenza X-7 and X-9 virus were demonstrated, particularly of the V fragment the molecular weight of which was lower in influenza X-9 virus.