The paper discusses epidemiological environment of particular countries and parts of the world viewed as potential platforms for mass events with international participation. It is established that the most unfavorable in this respect are Asian countries, primarily South-Eastern Asia ones, and African ones, from where the majority of well-known pandemics and epidemics have originated. Specified are the factors which are significant for spread of infectious diseases that can trigger emergency situation of sanitary epidemiological character of international concern. They are tourism and migration, trade and economic affairs, natural and anthropogenic disasters. The concept - “potential epidemic hazard of mass events with international participation” - is defined. It is demonstrated that its structure comprises two levels: the natural background of endemic and imported as related to mass event region epidemiological hazards, and epidemiological hazards imposed by the event itself. Outlined is a step-by-step algorithm for assessment of “potential epidemic hazard” of mass events with international participation allowing for adjustment of measures for the provision of sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population.

. Isolated were 128 plague agent strains: from rodents and lagomorphs - 24, 103 - from bloodsucking arthropods. One strain was obtained from a patient in the territory of Gorno-Altaisk high-mountain natural plague focus. Substantiated has been epizootiological prognosis claiming persistent challenging epidemiological situation in the foci. Outlined is the necessity to use epizootiological forecasting as the basis for scheduling and carrying out epidemiological monitoring and preventive measures in active natural plague foci. Due to the varying epidemiological significance of Y. pestis ssp. pestis , Y. pestis ssp. caucasica , and Y. pestis ssp. altaica strains the data on their spatial distribution should be deployed for differentiation of focal areas according to the degree of the potential epidemic hazard.

Cholera epidemiological situation around the world (2005-2014) has been assessed. Distribution of infection in the territory of African, Asian, and American countries, as well as in the Caribbean Region has been shown. Interstate and inter-continental importations of cholera in Europe, Australia, and America, including USA and Canada have taken place during this period. Epidemic process is spatially disseminated (with involvement and affection of new countries and administrative territories) and temporally chronic (America, the Caribbean Region; Africa) due to occurring of natural or social emergency situations. Alongside epidemics and outbreaks of the disease, caused by genetically altered variants of V. cholerae O1 El Tor and strains with multiple drug resistance, outbreaks with isolation of clinical strains of V. cholerae O139 serogroup take place in the Southeast Asia (China) on an annual basis. The forecast for 2015, as regards cholera in the world, stays unfavorable, which in its turn allows for the possibility to import this infection in the territory of the Russian Federation.

Presented are the results of analysis of epidemiological and epizootiological situation on anthrax across the Russian Federation and around the world in 2014. Anthrax morbidity rates in Russia have increased as compared to the previous year, but have not exceeded the range of annual variations within the past decade. Three foci of animal infection have been detected here. Unfavorable, as regards anthrax, situation has developed in the CIS countries and the territories beyond. In Europe the cases of deliveries of meat and meat products contaminated with anthrax agent to retail store network have taken place. 1 to 20 cases of anthrax among the population are forecasted in Russia for 2015.

Analyzed are the data on the state of the carrier populations (abundance rates, distribution by stations) across constituent entities of the Russian Federation in 2014 as compared to the previous period. On the whole abundance of small mammals has not exceeded the long-term average annual values. For each of the 9 Federal Districts given has been an estimation of epizootic and epidemic activity in the natural tularemia foci in 2014. Outlined is a sharp decrease in tularemia morbidity in comparison to 2013. It is determined that within the past two decades there has occurred three major incidence outsurges in 1995, in 2005, and 2013, respectively. Based on the information obtained made has been the forecast for the development of epidemiological situation in natural tularemia foci of various types. Against the background of sharp decrease in the morbidity rates consequent upsurges are registered at certain intervals of several years, nevertheless current volatile state of ecosystems may draw a mixed response of parasitic systems.

West-Nile fever epidemic season lasted since May to September inclusively in 2014 in Russia. It was marked by the low morbidity intensity, which manifested itself in the old-established foci only. In total reported were 27 cases of West-Nile fever infection in 8 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Decrease in epidemic process intensity was observed in other parts of the world too: the USA, Canada, European and Mediterranean countries. Sustained circulation of WNF virus of the second genotype in the territory of the Russian Federation (the Volgograd Region) was verified using sequencing of the fragments of the viral RNA genome locuses 5’UTR-protC, ProtE, NS3 obtained from clinical material and ambient environment objects.

Crimean hemorrhagic fever (CHF) is one of the priority infections in the south of the European part of the Russian Federation. Persistently high morbidity rates are retained within the past five year term, with case fatality amounting to 4.3 % on the average. In 2014 registered were 91 CHF cases. Therewith, displayed is the analysis of epidemiological situation on CHF in the territory of Russia in 2014, consolidated are the results of epizootiological surveillance of the CHF natural focus area, represented are the findings of genetic typing of CCHF virus which circulated in Russia in 2014. Using the data on epizootiological monitoring, made has been the forecast of CHF epidemiological situation development for 2015.

. The first group comprises the greatest number of entities with year on year minimal-change morbidity. Variability of morbidity rates in the second and third groups lays premises for the major changes of TBVE long-term annual average rate across the Russian Federation.

The paper illustrates the process of setting up the parameters for simulation of the infection which is of interest to the consumer but is not included in the list of those the model is already adapted to, using the interface of the universal model of local epidemics, developing within a closed population, designed at the SRC VB “Vector”. The user presets the specter of major countermeasures, including preventive vaccination and vaccination performed directly in the course of epidemic, detection and isolation/follow up of the patients, contact tracing, screening of the suspected ones, and quarantine. Specialists working with the model in a remote mode are provided with the possibility to set determination parameters for epidemics and predict various scenarios of their development depending upon available resources, necessary for realization of the countermeasures. The model is available at: http://vector-epimod.ru.

The paper contains the data on the morbidity rates as regards natural-focal infectious diseases and results of epizootiological monitoring in the locality of the XXII Olympic and XI Paralympic Winter Games-2014 in Sochi. It is demonstrated that the significant ones in the infectious disease incidence chart are hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, Ixodidae tick-borne borrelioses, pseudotuberculosis, intestinal yersiniosis, leptospiroses, rabies, rickettsiosis, and tularemia. Represented are the data on the peculiarities of a number of regional pathogenic strains. Noted is fact that complex activities, which were carried out by the agencies and institutions of the Rospotrebnadzor, Krasnodar Territory and Sochi resort-town Administration, allowed for the stabilization of the situation on natural-focal infections.

The paper contains the data on the management of work of the specialized anti-epidemic team (SAET) of the Stavropol Anti-Plague Institute during the XXII Olympic and XI Paralympic Winter Games (2014) in Sochi. Reviewed are the issues of SAET’s preparedness provision: staffing of the team, facility equipping, fitting with diagnostic preparations, professional training and development in view of the mass event mission - participation in interagency exercises, educational courses, seminars, and response drills. For the first time ever, SAET’s reinforced personnel comprised 60 specialists from research institutions and some other Rospotrebnadzor Organization. Provided was preparedness to perform laboratory diagnostics and indicate the agents of 82 nosological forms, including exotic ones. The team conducted investigations at the premises of the two facilities and bacteriological laboratory mounted on the trucks.

Assessed are the methods for storage of microorganisms in a viable state under various technological conditions for a period of two years. Compared is the survivability of the test-strains of tularemia and brucellosis agents (exemplified by Francisella tularensis 15 RIEH and Brucella abortus 19 BA) when stored on the nutrient media at temperatures raging 0 °C up +8 °C and at -70 °C for over a year. Made has been an estimate of survivability of the vaccine strains stored at -70 °C within two years term. It is determined that optimum media for storing the stated above microorganisms with no changes in their morphological characteristics at -70 °C are sucrose-gelatin agar and Albimi broth with 10 % glycerin. Demonstrated is the fact that it is more efficient to conserve microorganisms stored in working collections by way of deep freezing.

Produced have been stabilized phase variants of V. cholerae El Tor P-18895 (O- and rugose colonies). Frequency of reversion to initial ST-phenotype does not exceed 10 %. Identity of the origin is verified in VNTR. Evaluated has also been their activity by means of the following diagnostic tests: agglutination assay, sensitivity to diagnostic bacteriophages test, and studies of growth behavior in solid nutrient media. Stabilized variants of V. cholerae El Tor P-18895 can be deployed for further investigations of peculiarities of biofilm formation on various surfaces, bacterial resistance to environmental factors, and for the enhancement of methods for isolation of cholera vibrio variants from ambient environment.

On the basis of comparison between the genome-wide sequences of Altaic and Hissar strains of non-main subspecies and strains from Talas high-mountain plague focus, identified have been two novel DNA-targets, the usage of which provides for easy rapid subdivision of these closely-related strains of non-main subspecies that fall into separate phylogenetic brunches of plague agent evolution, applying PCR assay. One of the targets is allocated to intergenic region between YPO3333 and YPO3332 genes. In strains of altaica ssp. it contains 122 bps deletion. The other target is YPO2412 gene region which contains 72 bps deletion in Talas strains. Special primers for DNA-targets have been designed. Established have also been test specifications. Efficacy of the method for differentiation between the strains of Altaic-Hissar group of non-main subspecies is validated on 97 Y. pestis strains of various ssp.

Immunization against smallpox may be attended by serious complications. The premises for the differences in postvaccinal reaction intensity are underexplored. In this paper presented is the review of peculiarities of postvaccinal manifestations in members of the Russian population primarily immunized against smallpox as compared to the revaccinated ones. Examined has been the cohort of 217 people, of whom 82 are vaccinated initially, and 135 - repeatedly within the period from 2000 to 2013. Average age of the vaccinated is 40.0 years (ranged 20 to 40). Studied has been severity of vaccine-challenged condition and cutaneous inflammatory vaccinal elements. In case of initial vaccination medium severity has been observed 2.1 times oftener than low one. In case of revaccination - low level of severity has been registered 17.7 times more frequently than the medium one. Hyperemia zone is 2.2 times greater as regards primary vaccination compared to revaccination, zone of induration - 1.9 times. The diameter of the sore is 1.3 and its shedding time is 1.4 times greater and longer, respectively. Thus, initial vaccination follows more severe course and is attended by expressed response in comparison to booster one.

Represented is domestic and foreign literature review dedicated to usage of ultrafiltration for concentrating and purification of antigens. Discussed are the issues of deployment of various ultrafiltration techniques. It is determined that filtering in the tangential mode by means of modules with flat-frame filtering elements is among the prospective ones. Demonstrated is the impact of such technological specifications as concentration rate, pressure, temperature, and membrane nominal cut-off on molecular mass on the quality of target products, the time elapsed, and preparation losses decrease (increase). Literature data analysis proves to be useful for the selection of the proper procedure for concentrating and purification of protective antigens of bacterial and viral origins. In addition, it allows for taking into account the parameters under discussion when developing specific manufacturing technologies for diagnostic and preventive medical immunobiological preparation production.

Carried out has been comparative assessment between the performances of liquid nutrient pancreatic fibrin overcook-based and bakery yeast autolyzate-based media and conventionally used in manufacturing of cholera vaccine media for submerged cultivation of Vibrio cholerae 569B and V. cholerae M-41 strains. Results of investigation of media quality biological predictors (morphological and biochemical property stability, efficacy of biomass and protective antigen accumulation), which are fibrin hydrolyzate and bakery yeast autolyzate-based, suggest the possibility of using them for the production of cholera vaccine. Deployment of inedible raw material-based media in manufacturing of cholera vaccine is a prospective technology in view of reduction of medical-prophylactic preparation costs. Moreover it allows for solving the problem of protein waste-product disposal, which is generated in the process of anti-rabies immunoglobulin manufacturing, thus decreasing ecological impact on the environment.

) as framework for the production of tools for CCHF virus detection and identification in artificially contaminated samples and clinical specimens containing CCHF antigens was proven efficient.