Goal of the work - comparison of the epidemic process in the epidemic of 2016 and during the 2009 pandemic in the cities of Russia. Comparative data of the incidence of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections, hospitalization and mortality in different age groups of children (0 - 2, 3 - 6 and 7 -14 years) and adults (15 - 64 and 65 years of age) from 59 cities collaborating with 2 National Centers for influenza to the WHO in Russia, for the period from the 2009 pandemic and epidemic 2016. For the epidemic of 2016, as the 2009 pandemic was characterized by mono etiology (influenza virus A(H1N1)pdm09, the simultaneous occurrence of the peak of the epidemic in all age groups, the same percentage admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of "influenza"; involvement of the adult population and school children in the cities. The epidemic of 2016 was different: less involvement of children up to 6 years, higher development rate, the spread on the territory of Russia - from the West to the East, shorter duration of the epidemic in the country (12 and 17 weeks) and in the cities by population average (4.6 and 6.8 weeks), less morbidity for the period of the epidemic in cities (5.4 and 8.5%) and the country (9.6 and 14.4%), greater frequency of hospitalization but lower mortality from influenza in an average of 1.7 times.

To identify the peculiarities of manifestation of epidemic process of influenza in 2016, and causes high morbidity and mortality in St. Petersburg, a comparative analysis of the incidence of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections, hospitalization and mortality in children and adults during the epidemic of 2016 in St. Petersburg and other 58 the observed cities of the Russian Federation. The epidemic of 2016 in St. Petersburg from other cities were characterized by a greater intensity: the duration of the epidemic; the incidence of the population on the peak (at 1.9 and 1.3%), within the boundaries of the epidemic in the city (7.7 and 5.4%) and the country (11.9 and 9,6%); shares admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of «influenza» among the whole population (17.1 and 14,0%); greater mortality from influenza among the whole population (3.3 tims), persons 15 - 64 (in 3 times) and 65 years and older (2.8 times). The low level of population immunity in Saint-Petersburg in the before the epidemic period and lower frequency of hospitalization of patients with influenza and ARVI among the population as a whole (2.4% and 3.6 percent), particularly children and persons over 65 years of age (2 times), could be the cause of high morbidity and mortality from influenza in St. Petersburg.

Relevance. Despite more than 50 years of successful experience with pertussis immunization, pertussis remains an important public health problem. WHO estimated 16 million people worldwide are infected per year, a significant number of whom are children under 1 year of age. In the last 10 years a significant increase in the incidence of whooping cough has been observed in many countries with a high immunization coverage level. In Russia, specific prevention of whooping cough, is held since 1959. Specific prevention of whooping cough has led to considerable improvement of an epidemiological situation and has shown its social and economic importance for maintenance of sanitary and epidemiologic wellbeing on this infection in Russia. Goal. Study the structure of population B. pertussis circulating in Russia in dynamics of whooping cough epidemic process. Materials and methods Studied 573 B. pertussis strains allocated from patients with whooping cough in 1948 - 2015 used multilocus sequence typing (MAST). Isolates divided in five groups: 1948 - 1969 - 37 strains, isolated in the vaccination period and the first ten years of mass childhood immunization; 1970 - 1989 - 63 strains; 1990 - 2005 - 203 strains (from G.N. Gabrichevsky Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology collection); 2006 - 2012 - 185 strains; 2013 - 2015 - 85 strains. Genotyping of strains was carried out according to the scheme MAST2 on the basis of a sequence of fragments of genes of ptxP-fim3-prn. Results of sequencing-typing were computed in the CromasLite program, identification of alleles and sequencing types carried out on EMBL/GenBank. Results. Formation of population of B.pertussis strains during more than 50 years went on the way of consecutive change of vaccinal genotype strains with strains of new nonvaccinal genotypes. Conclusions. Modern population of the causative agent of whooping cough is presented by the strains of genotype 322 and 329 possessing high virulence and causing heavier clinical course of disease.

Relevance. In the Omsk region in 2005 - 2014 tended to decrease morbidity of tuberculosis infection. However, the dynamics of tuberculosis with multidrug resistance was characterized by a moderate upward trend from 29.6 to 38.3 per 100 thousand population (P < 0.05). Goal. Characteristics of the epidemic process of tuberculosis in the Omsk region for 10 years, molecular genetic features of leading genotypes of M. tuberculosis, circulating in the area to evaluate and select the most effective measures to prevent the spread of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Materials and methods. Studied with MIRU-VNTR-typing M. tuberculosis isolates from patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (n = 100). All patients were inhabitants of Omsk region and treated in health organizations of TB in 2013 - 2014. Results. 36 genetic types have been identified in the result of typing. The composition of the 10 clusters of various sizes included 74 isolates. For genetic family Beijing treated 77.0% of isolates clustered (OR = 25.7, CI 6.87 * 96.17). Among the unique isolates of M. tuberculosis was dominated by unidentified genotypes, non-family Beijing (OR = 0.11, 95% CI 0,04 * 0,30), as well as rare genotypes Uganda I, Haarlem, S. Frequency clustering in this study was 64%, indicating that a significant proportion of cases of tuberculosis associated with active Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission. Conclusions. The data obtained are of interest for the evaluation and selection of the most effective measures to prevent the spread of strains of multi-drug resistance in the Omsk region.

Relevance. Multi-drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been an important problem in public health around the world. However, development of effective methods and means of disinfection is now extremely urgent. Phenol is probably the oldest known disinfectant. Disinfectants based on substances containing phenolic practically used in almost every countries of the worldwide for the disinfection of medical devices, surfaces and hand hygiene. Goal. Comparative study of the activity of certain disinfectants containing phenol fragment against the test strain. Materials and methods. Multi-drug-resistant M. terrae, M. avium-intracellulara and M. tuberculosis have similar characteristics of resistance to chemical disinfectants, herefore M. terrae DSM 43227 used as the test strain. We studied five used in Russia for the production of disinfectants and antiseptics. substances containing a phenolic. Results. The disinfectant effect of substances with phenol compounds was detected in lower concentrations (from 0.02% for 2-benzil-4-chlorphenol to 1.0% for ortophenylphenol) than with substances containing glutaraldehyde or chloramine B compounds. Conclusions. Saving disinfecting effectiveness at low concentrations of the active substances in the working solutions can be recommended disinfectants based on phenolic compounds for disinfection measures in the complex of measures for prevention of occurrence and spread of tuberculosis.

Relevance. Despite significant advances in modern medicine in the treatment of infectious diseases, the plague has not lost its relevance and is one of the socially significant epidemic threats as a particularly dangerous infection. Every year, there are nearly 2.5 thousand cases of plague in the world, and the mortality rate 7 - 13%. Goal. Analysis of the current epizootic and epidemiological situation of the plague, and to determine the optimal set of preventive measures to ensure epidemiological welfare of population of the Republic of Altai on this particularly dangerous infectious disease. Materials and methods. Used the results of monitoring in 1961 - 2015 years of Gorno-Altai natural foci of plague. For more than 50 years bacteriologically were examined more than 290 thousand. small mammals, more than 1545 thousand fleas, isolated 2435 strains of the plague pathogen. Results. In recent years, the Gorno-Altai foci of plague most active of the 11 natural focis, located in Russia. On the Gorno-Altai territory in 2001 to 2014 isolated 801 strain of the pathogen, in 2015 - 23 strains, including 17 main subspecies. currently in the Gorno-Altai natural foci of plague there is a joint circulation of the two subspecies of the plague microbe: Y. pestis subsp. altaica and Y. pestis subsp. pestis. In September 2014 the first time since the detection foci of plague (1961) recorded the local human case of bubonic plague. in August 2015 identified a new case of the plague Conclusions. Introduction of the plague pathogen main subspecies into the ecosystem of the Gorno-Altaisk natural foci of plague greatly increases the possibility of dangerous epidemiological situation

Background. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have become one of the leading cause of health care-associated infections. Data on occurrence and spread of these pathogens in different types of hospital units are needed to develop effective surveillance and control measures to prevent dissemination of VRE. Aim. The aim of this study was to define hospital units with high risk of VRE dissemination in health care facilities of St. Petersburg. Materials and Methods. Point-prevalence study of colonisation and infection in patients and contamination of the environment was conducted during 2013 - 2014 in 8 hospital units of different types: neonatal intensive care, newborn pathology, general paediatric surgery, bone marrow transplantation (BMT for adolescents), cancer surgery of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and breast cancer, haemodialysis (three units). In each unit microbiological testing of clinical (N=857) and environmental (N=508) samples was conducted three times a months during the study period. Verification of vancomycin resistance in enterococci was conducted by amplification of vanA and vanB cassettes according to the technique developed by S. Dutka-Malen et al. Molecular genetic typing of enterococci by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD-PCR) was performed with universal primer R5 (5’-AACGCGCAAC-3’) in the concentration of 50 pmol/^L, according to the protocol proposed by B. Martin et al. VNTR analysis was performed according to the technique published by J. Top et al. Results. Colonization of patients and contamination of environment by VRE were detected only in haemato-oncologyunits (21,6 per 100 patients, 2,6 per 100 environmental swabs), neonatal intensive care (16,7 per 100 patients, 8,5 per 100 environmental swabs), and newborn pathology (34,6 per 100 patients, 3,3 per 100 environmental swabs). VRE were detected on the related to patient care environmental objects in common use for all patients (scales, changing tables, procedure tables, sink faucets) in the neonatal intensive care units and non-medical objects shared by all patients (tables in patient rooms, microwave oven and refrigerators shelves) in the haemato-oncology unit. The molecular genetic typing showed that strains of VRE isolated from patients and the environment were identical. Vancomycin resistance due to presence of vanA was dominating. Conclusion. Neonatal and haemato-oncology departments were identified as high risk hospital units. The most common mode of transmission of VRE is contact transmission via hands of health care workers in neonatal units and via environmental objects in haemato-oncology. To contain dissemination of VRE in the high risk units, development of microbiological monitoring of VRE and measures to control their transmission is needed.

Enterprise of viral and bacterial Preparations of Chumakov Institute of poliomyelitis and viral encephalitides, Moscow Abstract Selective and inconstant adjuvant activities of the agents Imunofan, Polioksidoniy, Roncoleykin, Salmozan and Fosprenil were determined. Those agents were used as an additional stimulant of the immune response in rabbit immunized with enteroviruses to get the polyclonal diagnostic sera for neutralization.

The results of development of experimental series of inactivated poliovirus vaccine based on Sabin strains (s-IPV) using conventional modern techniques are presented. Comparative analysis of immunogenicity of the experimental s-IPV and commercial IPV prepared from «wild» poliovirus strains (Imovax, Sanofi Pasteur S.A., France) using several models of laboratory animals showed their identity regarding Sabin and «wild» strains. Original method (an ELISA using specific chicken egg yolk antibodies of class Y-IgY) for quantitative determination of D-antigen in elaboration of vaccine formulation has been developed and protected by patent; conventional control methods in accordance with the WHO and European Pharmacopoeia requirements have been adopted. Finally, at experimental level it was shown that basic characteristics of the s-IPV are comparable with those of commercial IPV prepared from «wild» poliovirus strains

The article reviews and analyses the vaccines against invasive meningococcal disease, widely used in practice since 70s-80s of the last century, as well as newly developed ones, the efficacy of which is not completely clear yet. The advantages and disadvantages of polysaccharide and glycoprotein vaccines against meningococci of serogroups A, C, Y, W135 and of protein «vesicle» and geneticengineering vaccines based on «reverse vaccinology» against serogroup B are discussed. Some options for composition of future vaccines under development are presented. Briefly the meningococcal vaccines used in Russia are described. Among the most important immediate tasks discussed are: the study of the duration and intensity of protection after immunization with conjugate vaccines; the development and subsequent trials of a vaccine against serogroup X; further study and improvement of vaccines against serogroup B, as well as the creation of a single vaccine product that protects against all antigenic variants of Neisseria meningitidis.

This review summarizes the material on the development of vaccines against (nonpolio) enterovirus infection in Russia and abroad. Described the developed vaccine types, their characteristics and the results of clinical and epidemiological trials, created in China inactivated vaccines. I’is considered the possibility of creating a mucosal vaccines and vaccinal prevention strategies.

Relevance. In the Russian Federation is noted the negative dynamics of epizootic process of brucellosis among epidemiologically important species of farm animals (cattle and small ruminants), which represents a threat to the population. Used in Russia live vaccine based on a strain of Brucella abortus 19 the BA has reduced virulence, but capable at high doses (108 -2 109 m.c.) cause a generalized infection in guinea pigs and humans, and in violation of the rules cause post-vaccination complications. Goal. Assess possibility of the thermo-extract derived from the S- and L-forms of Brucella, get an immune response in guinea pigs, and reduce the risk of infection with virulent brucella. Materials and methods. Two series of experiments were carried out on guinea pigs. Immunized guinea pigs thermo-extracts (TE) from a strain of B. abortus I-206 in the S- and L-forms, and live brucellosis vaccine (Scientific and Production Association for Immunological Preparations «Microgen», Russia). To infect guinea pigs using virulent B. abortus 544 (Reference) and B. melitensis I-203 from the museum of living cultures of the Irkutsk Scientific Research Anti-Plague Institute. Results. In the first and second experiment after immunization L TE in dose 5 mg and 10 mg after infection with B. abortus and B. melitensis 5441-203 were approximately similar results. Immunization of Brucella in TE S-form or complex of L + S TE either of two doses (5 mg or 10 mg) cultures after infection B. abortus and B. melitensis 5441-203 gave the same result as a vaccine B. abortus 19VA. Conclusions. The results indicate the prospects of further study of experimental steps for using immunizing agents TE S, L TE and TE S + L on the laboratory animals.

Relevance. The vast majority of the virulence factors of Yersinia pestis is determined by genes of plasmid. The genome of the plague pathogen Altai subspecies Y. pestis subsp. altaica has three plasmids: pYV, pYP and pYT. Plasmids pYV Yersinia strains exhibit phenotypic traits, the effect of which is aimed at the suppression of the phagocytic activity of the cells of the immune system. Species-specific plasmid pYP determines synthesis bacteriocine (pesticin 1) and plasminogen activator, and plasmid pYT - murine toxin and a capsular antigen F1. Loss of one or more plasmids leads to a change of the pathogenic properties and a reduction or even total loss of the virulence of the pathogen, as well as affect the functional state organs of the immune system. Goal. To reveal characteristics of subpopulations of blood cells of experimental animals infected with Y. pestis containing various plasmids Materials and methods. The study was conducted on 370 white improved conventional mice with standard of content and weight (17 -19 g). As objects of study used 7 strains of Y. pestis from the collection of the museum of living cultures of the Irkutsk Scientific Research Anti-Plague Institute: Y. pestis subsp. altaica I-2948/3, Y. pestis subsp. altaica I-2948, Y. pestis subsp. altaica I-2359, Y. pestis subsp. I-3560 pestis, Y. pestis subsp. I-3480 pestis, Y. pestis subsp. I-2638 pestis, Y. pestis subsp. pestis I-3479. Results. Immunograms analysis showed that changes in the composition of blood cells in experimental animals depends on plasmids of the strain and time of observation. Importantly, the infectious process induced strains with a complete set of plasmids (Y. pestis subsp. pestis I-3560, Y. pestis subsp. pestis I-2638), is accompanied by significant changes in cell populations, as the causative agent of plague blocking barrier system key mechanisms innate immunity and prevents the formation of high-grade microorganism adaptive immunity. Conclusions. Are established features of subpopulation structure of blood cells of white mice, infected with strains of the main and Altai subspecies and their isogene options which are associated with a plasmid profile of a plague microbe. Strains of Y. pestis subsp. pestis of I-3479 and Y. pestis subsp. pestis of I-3480 can be recommended for further studying as perspective as vaccinal.

The analysis of measles and rubella surveillance data in Belarus for 2012 - 2015 was presented. Laboratory diagnosis based on revealing of specific IgM antibodies, dynamic of IgG concentration or detection of viral RNA. Virus genotyping was done by sequence analysis of C-terminal region of N gene (for measles) and fragment of E1 gene (for rubella). Among 1470 suspected measles/rubella cases 92 measles cases (10 - in 2012, 16 - in 2013, 64 - in 2014, 2 - in 2015) and 13 rubella cases (10 - in 2012, in 1 - in 2013, 2014 and 2015) were confirmed. The vast majority of measles patients (88.3%) and all rubella patients were older 20 years of age. Within 4 years of observation 6 chains of measles virus transmission were revealed (2 chains in 2012, 2013 and 2014 each), for each of them genotype of virus was determined. There were also 19 single cases of measles without spreading and virus genotype was determined for 17 of them. On the basis of epidemiological data and molecular investigations 14 measles cases were classified as imported (from Russia (6), Ukraine (2), Thailand (2), Egypt, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Italy), 78 - related to imported. All 13 rubella cases were represented by single cases, 4 of them were imported (from China (2), Thailand, Poland), 9 - related to imported. The absence of endemic circulation of both measles and rubella viruses in the Republic of Belarus was demonstrated and confirmed by the European Regional Commission for verification of measles and rubella elimination.

P.A. Offit - Head of Infectious Diseases at the Children 's Hospital of Philadelphia, leading advocate and has done more for promoting vaccination than anybody else I know in the world. He has been a staunch advocate of helping kids receive necessary vaccines and has been a pioneer himself in vaccine research. In an interview, Dr. Offit explain what can be done to calm parents who are worried and hear such things as, «My child got sick after a vaccination»?