RESULTS OF RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES ON DETECTION OF BABESIOSIS FOCI IN THE IRKUTSK REGION

This article contains results of reconnaissance studies intended to find foci of babesia in the Irkutsk region. Babesia DNA were founded in two types of ticks (I. persulcatus, H. concinna) in the three districts of the Irkutsk region (Ekhirit-Bulagatsky, Irkutsky, Shelekhovsky). The analysis of 1220 nr length nucleotide sequences of 18S rRNA gene of five Babesia samples was conducted. It was shown that the identified Babesia sequenced differ from previously known, and refer to the two genetic groups. The first group included babesia, genetically most similar to the sheep pathogen Babesia crassa, second contains sample, nucleotide sequence of which is significantly different from all known (less than 95 % homology)

IDENTIFICATION OF THEILERIA EQUI IN HORSE BLOOD IN THE IRKUTSK REGION

This paper describes the detection of Piroplasmida DNA in the blood of horses. 166 blood samples of horses from five districts of the Irkutsk region were studied. The high piroplasms infection rate in horses (69 %) was found. For six positive samples nucleotide sequences were determined. The comparison of determined 18S rRNA gene sequences with previously published sequences showed that all revealed piroplasms DNA samples are Theileria equi. The data are presented on the lethal cases of equine piroplasmosis in the Irkutsk region in 2008

Detection of Babesia and Anaplasmataceae bacteria in small mammals from Irkutsk and Novosibirsk regions

Tissue samples from 228 small mammals captured from 2013 to 2015 in four districts of Irkutsk region and in one district of Novosibirsk region were examined for the presence of Anaplasmataceae bacteria and Babesia parasites by nested PCR method with subsequent sequencing of positive samples. In Ekhirit-Bulagatskiy District of Irkutsk region, Babesia microti DNA was found in 10.9 % of small mammals, Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA - in 7.3 %, and Ehrlichia muris DNA - in 1.8 %. Infected mammals were not found in the other three examined districts of Irkutsk region. In Novosibirsk region, B. microti DNA was found in 8.9 % of small rodents, A. phagocytophilum DNA - in 8.9 % of small mammals, and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis DNA - in 8.9 % of small mammals. The identified infection agents corresponded to microorganism species and genetic variants previously found in Ixodes persulcatus ticks but not in ticks of other species

GENETIC AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AN ORIGINAL VARIANT BORNE ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS (THE «GROUP 886»), CIRCULATING IN THE BAIKAL REGION

New data was obtained about the original version of tickborne encephalitis virus (TBE), circulating in the territory of Eastern Siberia. With the help of molecular hybridization of nucleic acids (MGNA) and genome sequencing we revealed a group of 13 strains having a genetic structure analogous to strain 886-84, which was described earlier as the sole representative of the probable genotype 5. The formation of a separate cluster on the phylogenetic tree, differentiation level of genetic differences from other genotypes more than 12 %, own habitat, ecological relationship with all the links of a vector-borne chain, participation in human pathology, the stability and duration of circulation in nature confirms the validity of certification of «group 886» as a separate TBEV genotype 5

Properties of the quasi 16 day wave derived from EOS MLS observations

This paper describes the use of EOS Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) data to observe the field of traveling planetary waves with quasi 16 day periods. This study utilizes MLS v2.2 temperature and geopotential data between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2008 in the range 316 hPa to 0.001 hPa (approximately 8 to 97 km) to examine these waves. Analysis demonstrates that the quasi 16 day wavefield is made up of a number of components with westward and eastward propagating s = 1 and s = 2 waves generally dominant. In the Northern Hemisphere the westward and eastward propagating s = 1 waves have similar magnitudes and are larger than the other modes, while in the Southern Hemisphere, the eastward propagating s = 1 and s = 2 waves are larger than the westward propagating wave modes. All of the modes examined display strong seasonal patterns in the temperature amplitude, significant variability in the wave activity from year to year, and the presence of strong pulse-like patterns in the activity. All of the modes also display large median temperature amplitudes poleward of 40 degrees in both hemispheres. Our analysis also demonstrates that the variability in winter from year to year is larger in the Northern Hemisphere than the Southern Hemisphere. Detailed study also suggests that the exclusion of waves from regions of negative refractive index squared likely forms much of the seasonal pattern observed. Thus, regions of strong westward wind speeds effectively exclude vertically propagating waves as expected from theory. The reflection and absorption of waves associated with critical lines is also likely to explain the frequent occurrence of standing wave patterns in the EOS MLS temperature observations. This study highlights the potential of MLS observations for observing waves from the upper troposphere to the lower mesosphere