The review presents the data on the development of epidemic caused by Ebola virus in the West-African countries - Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal, and Mali. Analyzed is also an epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, unrelated to the mentioned above outbreaks. Traced have been the chains of transmission and import of the disease (under control and out-of-control) into European and American states. Assessed are the premises for complications faced in the course of epidemic response, and the factors contributing to the wide spread of the infection.

Objective is to demonstrate the advantages of assessment of the community immunity impact on the epidemics aftermaths using universal computerized model of local, developing within the closed population, epidemics/outbreaks of particularly dangerous and socially-significant infections, designed at the premises of SSC VB “Vector”. Modeling outcomes allow for evaluation of the efficacy of preliminary and emergency immunization for epidemic control. It is shown that for the modeled infections the level of community immunity, developed before the start of the outbreak, can play a significant role in minimization of implications. Effect of the mass vaccination, performed concurrently with the other response measures, is far less tangible. The model is available at http://vector-epimod.ru.

Ticks’ ability to attack man (aggressiveness) is an important characteristic impacting the ticks’ epidemiological role. Objective of the study is to assess the aggressiveness of the ticks inhabiting the south of the Primorsky Territory. It is based on the materials collected in the territory of Partizansky Region in 2012-2013. Ticks’ aggressiveness toward man has been defined by comparing the species’ community structure when collecting imago specimens on a cloth from plants (3,944 specimens are examined) and when removing ticks from people (437). In total, five species are identified: Ixodes persulcatus , Haemaphysalis concinna , H. japonica douglasi, Dermacentor silvarum (being dominant species), and I. pavlovskyi (which is rarely found in Partizansky Region) . Cases of tick attacks have been registered during April through October and November: this period being the peak of activity in I. persulcatus , and activity decay in H. concinna. The percentage of I. persulcatus against the total number of ticks, removed from people, has amounted to 86.3 %; the percentage of the same species collected from plants has amounted to 44.9 %. This is maximum index of aggressiveness. I. pavlovskyi also shows high level of aggressiveness, but as it is of rare occurrence it does not have any epidemiological weight in Partizansky Region. H. japonica attacks more often than H. concinna. In order to assess the difference in the epidemiological significance of these two species individual infection rate should be studied. As for D. silvarum, the percentage of this species removed from people is lower than that collected from plants, thus currently the epidemiological significance of this species in the south of Primorsky Territory is relatively low.

Since 1943, in the territory of Kirgizia in the Tien Shan high-mountain natural plague focus, the methods and measures of non-specific prophylaxis, aimed at extermination of the main carriers, grey souslik, and elimination of vectors - the fleas, have been developed and implemented. Established has been the fact that subsurface application of pulicide inside the souslik holes is more efficient in the context of long-term suppression of focal epizootic activity, rather than the elimination of carriers themselves. Presently, for epizootic inter-phase (resting stage) maintaining local treatments with environmentally-safe pesticides in the areas of continuous plague agent persistence and epizooties activation are performed.

Reviewed are the lessons learned from cooperation between Rospotrebnadzor institutions in the provision of epidemiological welfare on plague under aggravation of epizootic situation in the territory of the Pre-Caspian sandy natural plague focus in 2014. Plague control measures combined epizootiological and epidemiological monitoring, specific and non-specific prophylaxis, training activities for medical and veterinary officers, instructional advice for medical facilities on matters of infection prevention, and sensitization campaign. Furthermore, vaccinated against plague were 4460 people, field disinsection over 50.5 km² area was performed, as well as field deratization - 89.4 km², township disinsection - 257.3 thous. m², and township deratization - 329.1 thous. m². Financial expenses on prophylactic (anti-epidemic) activities amounted to 23265.8 thousand rubles. Outlined was viability of preventive planning and prophylactic measures in the territories with forecasted aggravation of epizootic situation in natural plague foci of the Russian Federation.

In 2014, in the central coastal part of the Pre-Caspian sandy natural plague focus, activation of epizootic process in the complex rodent settlements occurred. Objective of the study was to identify the factors that predetermined the development of intensive and extensive plague epizooties. Utilized were operational data from the Astrakhan, Elista, and Dagestan plague control stations, and personal investigation records gathered in the focus. Consequently to the high baseline numbers of rodents and fleas, mild winter weather in 2013-2014 population density of the vectors and carriers of the infection significantly exceeded long-term average annual indexes in the following spring. Total abundance rates reached up to 31.1 specimens per a hectare, being lowered up to 17.8 by the fall. Stock of the main vector of plague, N. laeviceps flea, amounted to 350 and to 120 per a hectare in the spring and autumn, respectively. All in all, in the course of the three rolling seasons isolated were 56 Y. pestis cultures: 17 strains - from the rodents, and 39 - from the fleas. The overall epizootic area totaled to 2300 km². Plague epizooties were registered in the zone of sustained natural focality within the bonds of the Ilmen-Pridelta, Primorsky, and Chernozemelsky landscape-epizootic regions in the administrative territory of the Limansky District in the Astrakhan Region, Lagansky and Chernozemelsky Regions of the Republic of Kalmykia, and Tarumovsky Region of the Republic of Dagestan. Results of monitoring over the epizootic manifestations and plague carrier and vector abundance dynamics provided the basis for scheduling and performance of anti-epidemic activities, as well as for forecasting of the epidemic situation development in the focus.

The paper provides scientific substantiation for the deployment of auxiliary forces and facilities for the provision of sanitary-epidemiological welfare of the population under mass events with international participation. Identified are the tasks and key areas of the specialized anti-epidemic teams (SAET) of the Rospotrebnadzor activities during the preparation and carrying out of the XXVII World Summer Universiade in Kazan. Reviewed are the aspects of inter-agency cooperation between the network structures and mobile units of sanitary-epidemiological and medical-preventive bias during Universiade, 2013.

Objective of the study was to analyze morbidity rates, structure, and spatial distribution of natural-focal infections in the Tula Region. Based on statistical reports of the Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Tula Region over a period of 1993-2013, it is demonstrated that zoonotic infections that occur in the Tula Region, are hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), leptospirosis, Ixodidae tick-borne borreliosis, and tularemia in the ratio of 60.2:33.6:5.5:0.7, respectively. An average case rate for HFRS and leptospirosis is 1.3 and 4.9 times higher than the corresponding rates throughout Russia, respectively, while Ixodidae tick-borne borreliosis, and tularemia incidence is, by contrast, 9.2 and 2.1 times lower, than the national average. Dynamics of HFRS morbidity rates and Ixodidae tick-borne borreliosis is marked by a moderate upward trend, while leptospirosis and tularemia incidence levels have an apparent downward trend. The highest HFRS, leptospirosis, and Ixodidae tick-borne borreliosis morbidity is in the northern, north-western and western parts of the Region, situated in broadleaved woodland; and the highest numbers of tularemia cases are registered in two eastern zones.

Integration of the Crimean Federal District (CFD) into the Russian Federation in March, 2014 predetermined the necessity to organize preventive activities, aimed at the provision of sanitary epidemiological welfare in the region. The paper observes the results of work of the specialized anti-epidemic teams, affiliated to the Stavropol Research Anti-Plague Institute and Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”, on the provision of assistance to CFD Sanitary Epidemiological Service (SES) in operational etiological investigation of infectious diseases outbreaks. Performed is the laboratory analysis of 2407 clinical and environmental samples. 676 tests out of 11518 have showed positive (non-standard) results. Given are the recommendations concerning optimization of work of the CFD SES facilities.

Q fever poses a problem, both in the Russian Federation and abroad. Thereat, a new base normative document, sanitary-epidemiological regulations on coxiellosis prevention, has been developed and approved in the Russian Federation. For the first time ever in the world history, a regulated surveillance of community-acquired pneumonias, which will help to improve diagnostics of this pathology, has been introduced in our country. Quality of Q fever control directly depends on the laboratory facilities, qualification of the personnel, and coordination of interagency cooperation. All these factors provide for the prompt assessment of the situation, in-time anti-epidemic measures, and forecasting of the events, which ensures the biological security of Russian Federation.

Estimated has been efficacy of MLVA25 method, used for differentiation and clusterization of Yersinia pestis strains, in reference to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis strains, as well as the search of Y. pseudotuberculosis strains mostly closely related to Y. pestis . Applied was the reduced version of the technique deploying 14 out of 25 VNTR loci. Comparative study of 71 Y. pseudotuberculosis isolates and five Y. pestis strains by means of MLVA25 and MLVA14 variants revealed 75 and 54 genotypes, respectively. Y. pseudotuberculosis strains of certain serovars corresponded to certain clusters of MLVA types. According to MLVA14 typing of 221 Y. pseudotuberculosis isolates the clusters including the strains belonging to MLST types ST19 (serovar O:3) and ST43 (serovar O:1b) were the most closely related to Y. pestis .

Carried out has been genome-wide sequencing of 20 Yersinia pestis strains from all 11 natural plague foci in Russia and some foci in the neighboring states. Phylogenetic analysis on the basis of 1918 core SNPs, identified in the genomes of these strains and 16 Y. pestis strains from NCBI GenBank, has revealed 5 clusters of closely related strains. Taking these clusters into account, up-dated has been subspecific classification of plague agent. New taxonomy has combined 5 subspecies: major (ssp. pestis ), Caucasian (ssp. caucasica ), ulegeisk (ssp. ulegeica ), and two novel ones - Central Asian (ssp. central asiatica ) and Angolan (ssp. angola ). Central Asian subspecie comprises evolutionally related strains, earlier classified as altaica and hissarica, as well as the strains from Talas high-mountain focus in Kirghizia and Uzbekistan, and microtus strains from China. Central asiatica is divided into three biovars - altai, hissar, and microtus. Set forward is a serviceable designation for the strains: 0.PE4a - for altai ones, 0.PE4h - for hissar, 0.PE4t - for talas, and 0.PE4m - for microtus, and also for ulegeica subspecie - 0.PE5.

Objective of the study was to conduct experiments on survival capacity of toxigenic genovariant strains as compared to typical strains of V. cholerae , biovar El Tor in autoclaved river water and in the organism of laboratory animals. Consequently, it was determined that both, genovariant and typical El Tor vibrios, sustained for a significant period of time (more than 5 months) in the river water, though a number of the bacterial cells in the population of the typical ones gradually decreased, while in the genovariant strains - the growth was observed in between the 7^th and 21^st day. CFU of the genovariants was 1.5-2.5 and 1.8-3.0 times higher than the amount of typical strain bacteria on the day 7 and day 21, respectively. Selective advantage of genovariants was also confirmed by competitive test in vitro . Furthermore, genovariants dominated over typical strains of V. cholerae , biovar El Tor in the mixed population in vivo (bioassay animals): CFU of the genovariants 1.25-84.0 times exceeded that of the typical strains when seeding out the contents of intestine and gastrointestinal wall homogenate. Put forward was an assumption that one of the factors for genovariant selective advantage might be enhanced adaptation ability affected by changes of cell metabolic activity. Identified capacity of genovariant toxigenic strains - not only to sustain in open water bodies of our country, but also to propagate in there, creates unfavorable epidemiological situation on cholera.

In order to identify the risk of hemotransfusion transmission of West Nile virus in the territory of the Saratov Region, carried out has been analysis of 1760 blood sera and 270 blood samples from donors residing in the Region, intended to detect markers, indicating recent infection with the virus. Consequently, identified have been IgM and/or low-avid IgG suggestive of a late contact with the agent. The data obtained demonstrate the feasibility of realization of hemotransfusion mechanism for West Nile virus transmission in the territory of the Saratov Region in a particular season. It is planned to continue investigations, applying 2 analytical methods: ELISA and PCR, with individual testing of biological material from each donor.

The review provides the information on etiology, epidemiology, clinical features and prevention of a little-known viral encephalitis Nipah. Given is the characteristics of the pathogen and its ecology. Objective of the review is to inform Russian specialists about the new dangerous disease unknown in the Russian Federation. Nipah virus infections in humans were first described in Malaysia (1998-1999), later in Bangladesh (2004) and India (2006). The causative agent was identified as a new member of paramyxoviruses in 1998, and then, together with related Hendra virus, has been separated in a new genus of the family Paramyxoviridae . The natural reservoir of the virus are fruit bats, predominantly carnivorous flying foxes of 8 species, Pteropus genus; the secondary reservoir - domestic pigs. Nipah virus is highly contagious for swines, that can act as amplifying and reservoir host. The disease in humans is characterized by symptoms and signs of encephalitis and acute pulmonary failure, rapidly developing coma. Lethality is 38.5-92.0 %. Registered are the outbreaks when virus transmission occurred from person-to-person. Specific treatment has not been developed. Prophylaxis is nonspecific.

Identified are the complete nucleotide sequences of two cryptic plasmids - pCKF from the Central-Caucasian high-mountain plague focus and pTP33 - from Tuva mountain plague focus in Russia. It is established that the size of the pCKF is 5.4 kbp, and its G-C pair composition accounts for 38.4 %. The plasmid contains 8 open reading frames, encoding transport and secretion functions, in particular, secretion systems of the VI type. The size of another cryptic plasmid, pTP33, is 33.8 kbp, and G-C pair composition accounts for 50.3 %. It contains 52 open reading frames, the majority of which have been classified as phage proteins. Hence, it is inferred that pTP33 is a ring genome of phage. It also has two genes of two-component protein system, toxin-antitoxin, YoeB/YefM, that affects replication apparatus of bacteria.

By the experiments of in vivo intranasal infection of 8-10-days-old outbread ICR mice with Monkeypox virus (MPV) in a dose equal 3.83 lg FFU/specimen, investigated was dynamics of the virus accumulation within various organs, blood cells, and blood serum. In 2 days after infection MPV was detected in blood cells, nasal cavity, lungs, spleen, and duodenum, and in 5 days after - in brain, trachea, liver, kidneys, and blood serum. It was established that 7 days after infection the highest level of MPV production was in the lungs, nasal cavity, and brain, where virus titers in 5 % homogenates were (5.7±0.1), (5.5±0.1), and (5.3±0.3) lg FFU/ml, respectively. In the blood cells virus was traced in 2, 5, and 7 days after challenge, while in blood serum - in 5 and 7 days. MPV blood transfer to the secondary target organs (liver, spleen, duodenum, kidneys, et al. ) was operational, probably, due to the virus proliferation in blood corpuscles. The data obtained and the worked out scheme of MPV dissemination in an organism can be used for the selection and construction of therapeutic anti-pox virus preparations with precise targeted drug delivery.

Investigated have been cultural-morphological, biochemical and genetic properties of lyophilized cultures of F. tularensis 15 NIIEG vaccine strain, accumulated within 60-years term and deposited at the State Collection of Pathogenic Microorganisms of Scientific Center on Expertise of Medical Application Products. The studies undertaken have demonstrated that storing of the strains in such a form at low temperatures, does not prevent changes of their genetic and phenotypic properties to the full extent. It is established that F. tularensis 15 NIIEG strain lyophilized in 1953, 1966, 1969, 2003 and 2012 maintains its immunogenic properties when cultivated on nutrient media Ft-agar with or without addition of blood, based on dissociation rates (87-99 %) of SR-colonies. While F. tularensis 15 NIIEG strain 1990 contains specified amounts (not less than 80 %) of immunogenic colonies if cultivated on nutrient media with the addition of blood, and fails to meet the requirements - if cultivated without. Identified in F. tularensis 15 NIIEG strain 1987 SR-colony decrement of 70-75 % in case of cultivation with or without addition of blood testifies to the deterioration of its immunogenic properties. RAPD and ERIC typing has showed high stability of the genome of F. tularensis 15 NIIEG cultures lyophilized at different times. Tularemia microbe vaccine strain has unique RAPD and ERIC profiles, insignificant alteration of which is observed upon storage of pathogen subculture in the dried from.

Given are the results of direct protein profiling of brucella strain collection using matrix laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass-spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Standardized is the method for brucellosis agent culture disinfection and subsequent assessment. Obtained are 59 representative protein profiles of six major species ( B. melitensis, B. abortus, B. canis, B. ovis, B. neotomae ), which are included into electronic database of mass-spectra, integrated in Biotyper v 3.0 software (Bruker Daltonics, Germany). Analysis of mass-spectra of brucella strains under investigation revealed 17 genus-specific fragments within the mass range of 2000-20000 Da, the combination of which can be used for Brucella spp . identification. In addition, described are the fragments, specific for certain brucella species and strains, promising as markers for intraspecific differentiation. Based on the data received developed is a standardized algorithm of identification and differentiation of brucellosis agent cultures applying MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Consideration is given to implementation of state-of-the-art filtration technologies for up-scaled manufacturing of cholera toxin B-subunit, produced by recombinant Vibrio cholerae non O1 KM93 strain. Selected are micro- and ultra-filtration membranes to be incorporated into manufacturing method. Investigated are the properties of cholera toxin B-subunit, obtained applying the pilot technology. The engineered method for up-scaled manufacturing of cholera toxin B-subunit makes the procedure easier-to-maintain due to tangential micro- and ultra-filtration, performed at the stage of purification and concentration. It excludes labor-consuming chromatographic purification, while retaining B-subunit properties. The studies undertaken make it possible to manufacture cholera toxin B-subunit with the same characteristics as in the case of the pilot technology, but under production conditions, and use it as a component for chemical cholera vaccine.

Objective of the work was to construct immune-chromatographic device for indication of five toxin types in a single processing cycle and investigation of its capacities regarding environment sample analysis and food testing. Obtained were the conjugates of monoclonal antibodies with nano-particles of colloid gold, formed were membrane composites for sandwich immune-chromatography of separate toxins. On the basis of distinct test panels designed was immune-chromatographic device for multiple analyses, which contained multi-analytical detection element, swab for surface sampling, and storage vessel with test buffer. This device allowed for concurrent identification of botulinic toxins A, B types concentrated up to 5 and 10 ng/ml, respectively; staphylococcal toxin B type - 40 ng/ml, cholera toxin - 500 ng/ml, and ricin - 80 ng/ml, within a single processing cycle. Demonstrated was the possibility of toxin detection in washings from ambient object surfaces, as well as in foodstuffs. Described was preliminary food sample preparation procedure.