Experience in Utilization of Phylogenetic Analysis for Epidemiological Investigation of HIV Infection Case

Objective of the study was to investigate a criminal case of infection with HIV, applying molecular-genetic analysis of blood plasma samples from an estimated source of an infection and the recipient for evaluation of probability of epidemiological connection between them. Materials and methods. The study involved genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences of HIV-1 variants, isolated from patients in the investigated group and the control one (19 nucleotide sequences of the HIV-1 from the patients living in the Saratov region, and 15 nucleotide sequences from GenBank). Genotyping was performed using the commercial ViroSeq HIV-1 Genotyping System. The sub-typing of HIV-1 strains was carried out on-line, through the COMET HIV-1/2 and HCV and REGA HIV-1 Sybtyping Tool programs. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences was carried out by Mega software, version 5.2. Phylogenetic trees were constructed; nucleotide distances were calculated by Kimura method (bootstrap level 1000). Results and conclusions. Virus variants, isolated from the studied samples, were defined as HIV-1 A subtype. Performed phylogenetic analysis showed that nucleotide sequences of the studied samples authentically grouped on the phylogenetic tree, forming a common cluster, which mismatched that of control group. Calculation of the genetic distance testifies that the genetic relation between the samples within the investigated group is higher, than between the same samples and those of the control group. Thus, by means of phylogenetic analysis it is shown that the strains received from an estimated source of infection and the recipient are genetically closer to each other, than to the strains from the group of comparison. In this regard, it is possible to claim with a big share of confidence that probability of epidemiological connection between them exists

Relative body mass index as a new tool for nutritional status assessment in children and adolescents with bronchial asthma

© 2017, Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy. All rights reserved.The aim of the investigation was to estimate the possibilities of using relative body mass index (RBMI) for determining age- and gender-specific aspects of nutritional status in children and adolescents with bronchial asthma (BA) of different severity degrees. Materials and Methods. The study involved 887 children and adolescents with BA of different severities, aged 5–17 years (61– 215 months), of them 655 were boys. Their body mass index (BMI) was evaluated based on the Z-score criterion and nutritional status was determined as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). To unify nutritional status assessment in patients of different age and gender groups, there was introduced RBMI representing the ratio of the patient’s BMI to gender- and age-specific median BMI value presented in the WHO reference data. Results. Nutritional status and its relation to BA were studied in children and adolescents using two parameters: the standard nutritional status indicator based on BMI Z-scores as recommended by WHO, and a new parameter, RBMI, representing the ratio of the patient’s BMI to gender- and age-specific median BMI value recommended by WHO. No significant nutritional status differences were found in the studied sample of patients with various degrees of BA severity. There was revealed a tendency to a decrease in the proportion of children with normal body weight and an increase in the proportion of overweight children as BA severity increased, χ2=26.82; р=0.08. Conclusion. Using RBMI for assessment of BA patients makes it possible to significantly facilitate clinical data analysis and obtain new data unavailable when standard parameters are applied

Detection of Specific Antibodies to Arboviruses in Blood Sera of People Living in the Territory of the Saratov Region

This work continues serological surveys previously carried out in the territory of the Saratov Region in order to detect specific antibodies to arboviruses. Presented are the results of analysis of blood sera of humans and agricultural animals collected in different climatic zones of the Saratov Region. Sera were examined for the presence of IgG immunoglobulins specific to the viruses Tahyna, Batai, Sindbis, tick-born encephalitis, CCHV, and West Nile fever

Metabolic syndrome in patients with arterial hypertension living in the Far North (on the example of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug — Yugra)

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome currently continues to occupy a leading position in medicine and remains one of the main reasons for discussions among scientists around the world. WHO experts defined the problem of metabolic syndrome as an «epidemic of the 21st century», since its prevalence is currently, according to some estimates, from 10% to 40% among the adult population of the planet.AIM: To study the metabolic syndrome in patients with arterial hypertension living in the Far North; to determine the main variants of the metabolic syndrome that are characteristic of people with arterial hypertension in harsh climatic and geographical conditions and to analyze the frequency of occurrence of the identified variants of the metabolic syndrome depending on the degree of arterial hypertension and gender differences.MATERIALS AND METHODS. This study is presented in the form of 4 main stages: determination of metabolic syndrome variants characteristic of patients with AH living in the North, analysis of the frequency of occurrence of the identified main variants of the metabolic syndrome depending  on gender, degree of AH and time spent in the Far North. Study period: March 2018–February 2019.The main inclusion criteria for this study were: the presence of metabolic syndrome, a confirmed diagnosis  of arterial hypertension  (AH) of 1–3 degrees based on generally accepted  criteria (ESH / ESC, 2018), residence in the Far North for at least 1 year. For the diagnosis  of MS, the IDF criteria, 2005, were adopted. By design, the work is in the nature of an observational one-sample  study, which was conducted  in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous  Okrug — Yugra, Nizhnevartovsk (KhMAO-Yugra).RESULTS. The study involved 235 people, of which: men — 109 people (46.4±4,77%), women — 126 people (53.6±4,44%). The age of the study participants was 38±7.1 years. According  to the degree of AH (according  to the criteria, ESH / ESC from 2018), patients are presented as follows: 1st degree AH — 59 people (25.1± 2,83%); 2nd degree AH — 73 people (35.1± 3,11%);  3rd degree AH — 103 people (39.8± 3,19%). By the time of residence in harsh climatic conditions, all patients who took participation in this study were divided into three groups: group 1 — the residence time was from 1 year to 5 years. This group included 56 people (23.8±5,7%). 2 group — the period of stay in the Far North was from 6 to 11 years and this group is represented by 81 patients (34.5±5,3%) , group 3 — patients living in CS conditions for more than 11 years — 98 people (41.7±4,9%). № 1 — WC ≥ 94 cm in men and ≥ 80 cm in women + BP level ≥ 130/85 mm Hg + decrease in HDL cholesterol ≤ 1.03 mmol / L. This combination  of the main structural units of MS was observed in 43 +/-3.23% of cases (p<0.0016). Option number 2 — waist ≥ 94 cm in men and ≥ 80 cm in women + BP level ≥ 130/85 mm. rt. Art. + decrease in HDL-C ≤ 1.03 mmol/l + increase in triglycerides ≥ 1.7 mmol/l + increase in fasting glucose ≥ 5.6 mmol/l* — this combination of MS components occurred in 57+/-3.23 % of cases in all patients participating in the study (p<0.0011).CONCLUSION. With an increase in the time spent in the Far North in patients with hypertension, who initially have a 3-component variant of the metabolic syndrome, there is a tendency towards an increase in the main components of the metabolic syndrome

Relative body mass index as a new tool for nutritional status assessment in children and adolescents with bronchial asthma

© 2017, Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy. All rights reserved.The aim of the investigation was to estimate the possibilities of using relative body mass index (RBMI) for determining age- and gender-specific aspects of nutritional status in children and adolescents with bronchial asthma (BA) of different severity degrees. Materials and Methods. The study involved 887 children and adolescents with BA of different severities, aged 5–17 years (61– 215 months), of them 655 were boys. Their body mass index (BMI) was evaluated based on the Z-score criterion and nutritional status was determined as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). To unify nutritional status assessment in patients of different age and gender groups, there was introduced RBMI representing the ratio of the patient’s BMI to gender- and age-specific median BMI value presented in the WHO reference data. Results. Nutritional status and its relation to BA were studied in children and adolescents using two parameters: the standard nutritional status indicator based on BMI Z-scores as recommended by WHO, and a new parameter, RBMI, representing the ratio of the patient’s BMI to gender- and age-specific median BMI value recommended by WHO. No significant nutritional status differences were found in the studied sample of patients with various degrees of BA severity. There was revealed a tendency to a decrease in the proportion of children with normal body weight and an increase in the proportion of overweight children as BA severity increased, χ2=26.82; р=0.08. Conclusion. Using RBMI for assessment of BA patients makes it possible to significantly facilitate clinical data analysis and obtain new data unavailable when standard parameters are applied

Relative body mass index as a new tool for nutritional status assessment in children and adolescents with bronchial asthma

© 2017, Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy. All rights reserved.The aim of the investigation was to estimate the possibilities of using relative body mass index (RBMI) for determining age- and gender-specific aspects of nutritional status in children and adolescents with bronchial asthma (BA) of different severity degrees. Materials and Methods. The study involved 887 children and adolescents with BA of different severities, aged 5–17 years (61– 215 months), of them 655 were boys. Their body mass index (BMI) was evaluated based on the Z-score criterion and nutritional status was determined as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). To unify nutritional status assessment in patients of different age and gender groups, there was introduced RBMI representing the ratio of the patient’s BMI to gender- and age-specific median BMI value presented in the WHO reference data. Results. Nutritional status and its relation to BA were studied in children and adolescents using two parameters: the standard nutritional status indicator based on BMI Z-scores as recommended by WHO, and a new parameter, RBMI, representing the ratio of the patient’s BMI to gender- and age-specific median BMI value recommended by WHO. No significant nutritional status differences were found in the studied sample of patients with various degrees of BA severity. There was revealed a tendency to a decrease in the proportion of children with normal body weight and an increase in the proportion of overweight children as BA severity increased, χ2=26.82; р=0.08. Conclusion. Using RBMI for assessment of BA patients makes it possible to significantly facilitate clinical data analysis and obtain new data unavailable when standard parameters are applied