Future Developments and Applications of the Vaccines against Dangerous Viral Infections, RNA-Replicon-Based, Obtained from the Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis Virus

The members of the Filoviridae (Marburg and Ebola viruses) and Arenaviridae (Lassa, Lujo, Machupo, Junin, Guanarito, Sabia viruses) families are the etiological agents of particularly dangerous viral hemorrhagic fevers. These agents pose a potential threat to public health care in view of the possibility of their unintended import into the non-endemic regions, and thus construction of specific medical protectors as regards induced by them diseases is a pressing issue. According to leading experts, vaccination of the cohorts that fall in the risk groups is the most effective and least expensive method to prevent the development of epidemics. The review contains information on a new prospective line of protective preparations development as regards particularly dangerous viral infections - construction of alphavirus-replicon-based vaccine. Elaboration of recombinant replicons does not require cultivation of pathogenic microorganisms. RNA-replicons are distinguished by their incapacity to produce infective progeny, which is of a great importance for the development of vaccines against particularly dangerous viral hemorrhagic fevers. Advantages of alphaviral replicons over other RNA-replicons are as follows: high levels of heterologous gene expression and resistance to anti-vector immunity. RNA-replicons of alphaviruses combine the safety of inactivated, and immunogenicity of live attenuated vaccines. Alphaviruses-based replicons are suitable for express vaccine development with the purpose of specific prophylaxis of viral infectious diseases

Association of polymorphisms of genes SLC30A8 and MC4R with the prognosis of the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has reached epidemic proportions and it is estimated to affect over 400 million people worldwide. Moreover, the incidence of diabetes is expected to continue to rise and it is projected to affect nearly one of the three individuals by the year 2050. These alarming projections suggest that there is an urgent need for the development and implementation of novel prevention and treatment strategies to combat the rise in T2DM.AIM: To study the possibility of using polymorphisms of genes SLC30A8 and MC4R as markers for predicting the development of T2D in the population of Novosibirsk.MATERIALS AND METHODS: On the basis of prospective follow-up of a representative population sample of residents of Novosibirsk (The HAPIEE Project), 2 groups were formed according to the “case-control” principle (case — people who had diabetes mellitus 2 over 10 years of follow-up, and control — people who did not developed disorders of carbohydrate metabolism). T2D group (n = 443, mean age 56.2 ± 6.7 years, men — 29.6%, women — 70.4%), control group (n = 532, mean age 56.1 ± 7.1 years, men — 32.7%, women — 67.3%). DNA was isolated by phenol-chloroform extraction. Genotyping was performed by the method of polymerase chain reaction with subsequent analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism, polymerase chain reaction in real time. Statistical processing was carried out using the SPSS 16.0 software package.RESULTS: Genotype TT rs13266634 of the SLC30A8 gene was associated with the risk of developing T2D (relative risk — RR 1.51, 95% confidence interval — CI 1.11–2.05, p =0.008). The CC genotype rs13266634 of the SLC30A8 gene was associated with a protective effect against T2D (RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.35–0.92, p=0.026). No significant effect of rs17782313 of the MC4R gene on the risk of developing T2D was found.CONCLUSION: The rs13266634 polymorphism of the SLC30A8 gene confirmed its association with the prognosis of the development of T2D, which indicates the possibility of considering it as a candidate for inclusion in a diabetes risk score. The association between polymorphisms rs17782313 of the MC4R gene and the prognosis of the development of T2D was not found

Results of Immunological Screening for Natural-Focal and «Exotic» Infectious Diseases among Certain Population Groups of the Khabarovsk Territory, the Amur Region and the Jewish Autonomous Region

Displayed are the results of examination of immuno-competent local population of the Khabarovsk Territory, the Jewish Autonomous Region, the Amur Region, as well as foreign residents living and temporarily working in the areas, on a wide range of natural-focal bacterial and viral infectious diseases including the causative agents of some “exotic” infections too. Investigations have been carried out with the participation of experts from the specialized anti-epidemic team No. 1 (Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute), who worked in the Amur Region, and a group of laboratory-epidemiological specialists from the team No. 2 - deployed in the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region during the flooding in August-September 2013. The total of 1335 blood sera samples has been tested using serological methods. The findings have revealed the presence of immuno-competent population in the three regions of the Far Eastern Federal district in reference to the agents of natural-focal infectious diseases: tularemia, leptospirosis, yersinioses, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, tick-borne borrelioses, tick-borne viral encephalitis, Californian encephalitis serogroup, Sindbis, West Nile and Dengue fevers. Circulation of Batai and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever viruses has not been revealed based on serological assays

Epidemiological Situation on Natural Focal Infectious Diseases of Bacterial and Viral Etiology in 2012 in the Territory of Siberia and Far East, and Prognosis for 2013

Analyzed is the incidence rate as regards natural focal infections of bacterial and viral etiology. Displayed is the data on the performed laboratory diagnostics of these infections in the territory of Siberia and Far East in 2012 and forecast of the epidemiological situation development in 2013. Analysis is carried out based on the data received by the Reference Center for surveillance over natural focal infections at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute, from Rospotrebnadzor Institutions of Siberian, Far-Eastern and Ural Federal districts, as well as reviews and prognoses on the current state of natural foci of infections available from Altay, Tuva, Chita, Khabarovsk and Primorsk plague control stations

Assessment of Epizootiological-Epidemiological Situation on Natural Focal Infections in Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalin Territory of the Sakhalin Region

Objective of the work was to carry out complex assessment of the current state of epizootic activity and epidemiological significance of the infectious disease natural foci in the Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalin territory of the Sakhalin Region. Trapped were 56 samples of small mammals in July, 2010; collected were 180 specimens of taiga tick imago, caught were 1000 specimens of mosquitoes. 223 samples of blood sera were taken from residents of the region. All the field data were tested to detect specific antibodies, antigens and genetic material of agents. Based on the results of epizootiological investigations, serological and molecular-genetic assays, demonstrated was the occurence of natural foci of leptospirosis, tularemia, tick-borne encephalitis, borreliosis, rickettsiosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, West Nile fever, Inco fever, Batai and Geto fevers, as well as HFRS with varying degree of activity manifestation in the territory of the region. Isolated was tick-borne encephalitis virus from mosquitoes