Subject of present survey is the regulatory background specifying collection activity relative to the use of infectious agents of I-II pathogenicity group. Revised are the preferred activities which are to be realized by the leading collections of pathogenic microorganisms. Suggested are promising approaches for the improvement of the work of collection centers that are to be solved at the modern organizational, legal, technical and scientific-methodological level.

Main forms of microorganisms depositing procedures in collection centers and normative and methodical documents that regulate them are considered in the paper. Discussed are some problems arising in the context of pathogenic microorganisms depositing in the Microbe State Collection of Pathogenic Bacteria of the RARI Microbe, the practice of their solving, based on the documents in force and Draft Guidelines on the order and conditions of microorganisms depositing for the purpose of the national patent procedure developed by the Federal Institute for Industrial Property.

Presented is the survey of the national and foreign literature concerning the questions of improvement of cholera immunodiagnostics. Considered are the problems and prospects of development of different preparations designed for cholera vibrios detection and serologic diagnostics of the disease.

Short-term prognosis of epizootic activity of 11 natural plague foci in Russia for 2010 is substantiated. The analysis of the main plague carries and vectors abundance in natural foci of different types was carried out. Determined were the modern tendencies of the dynamics of epizootic activity of natural plague foci with different biocenotic structure.

The analysis of clinical-epidemiological features of plague in Mongolia in 1986-2009 demonstrated the decrease of the number of primary pulmonary plague cases, prevalence of bubonic plague, increase of the morbidity in women and children in the last decade. Considering the high epidemiologic potential of foci of the marmot's type, where the marmots are captured illegally by poachers, considerable probability of the bubonic plague being complicated with pneumonia or sepsis, it is necessary to improve plague epidemiologic surveillance in Mongolia.

The criteria approach has been proposed for the development of the database on the risks in the sphere of biological safety in the constituent unit of the Russian Federation. This approach includes application of the following indices: epidemiological, social and demographic ones, those regarding external and internal menaces to the biological safety, characteristics of biological and chemical objects of potential danger. The database is oriented for work as a part of geographical information systems.

Considered was the actuality of investigations to assess the reliability of occupational activity of personnel authorized to work with PBA of I-II groups. The methodological approaches and assessment criteria were developed on the base of existing regulatory documents on the work safety and complex approach to personnel training.

Presence of combined natural foci of plague, tularemia, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, West-Nile encephalitis, Astrakhan spotted fever in the North-West Precaspian region was substantiated. Influence of anthropogenic and climatic conditions in formation of combined natural foci of infectious diseases of bacterial, rickettsial and viral etiology was pointed out. Up-to-date potential epidemic danger of the territories under consideration was evaluated.

The adhesive properties of Y. pestis vaccine strain EV as regards the erythrocytes of laboratory, domestic and agricultural animals were studied using photocolorimetric method. The level of bacteria adhesion was shown to depend upon erythrocytes species as well as upon incubation conditions of bacterial and eukaryotic cells. The received data suggested interaction of erythrocytes and Y. pestis to be significant in the development of infectious process caused by plague agent.

Volunteers who had been vaccinated against smallpox in their childhood were orally immunized with Revax-BT vaccine - initially with a small dose, then (in 7, 14, 30, 90 and 180 days) with a large one. Slight reactogenicity was observed after the first vaccination whereas revaccination induced no clinical manifestation. Double immunization with this preparation with 1-2 weeks interval proved to be the most effective method: the protective level of virus-neutralizing antibodies to vaccinia virus (VV) was formed in 90-100 % volunteers in a month after vaccination, and 6 months later this index decreased up to 70 %. The recombinant VV was not registered in the samples of blood, saliva and urine taken from the volunteers after double immunization.

Evaluated was the ability of plague microbe antigens F1 and V to activate specifically in the in vitro system subpopulations of T-lymphocytes of BALB/c mice immunized against plague. The level of CD69 expression at the lymphocytes surface was proposed to be evaluated as the marker of lymphocytes activation. Expression of CD69 early marker of activation in subpopulations of T-helpers and cytotoxic lymphocytes, reciprocated by the in vitro stimulation with Y. pestis F1, correlated with the intensity of the anti-plague postvaccinal immunity induced by immunization with F1 or F1and V antigens mixtures.

The influence of artificial immunodeficiency state upon brucellosis course has been studied experimentally. Trials on laboratory animals demonstrated faster and more intensive progression of infectious process as well as increased frequency of the fatal cases of the disease caused by brucellosis agents.

For the first time constructed was a diagnosticum based on colloid gold nanoparticles (with an average size of about 15-17 nm) to detect specific antibodies against rabies virus in the anti-rabies sera and immunoglobulin in vitro in the dot-immunoassay [24]. Investigated was the correlation between the results of the rabies virus neutralization test on white mice and the results of the dot immunoassay. The results of the dot immunoassay correlated with those of the neutralization test on white mice. Thus, the method offered can be considered as an alternative to the in vivo neutralization test. This in vitro method can be used to test the activity of the anti-rabies sera at the stage of horses immunization.

Developed were the new immunization schedules of obtaining plague, brucellar, anthrax, tularemia, cholera, leptospirosis, legionellosis and campilobacteriosis hyperimmune sera based on optimal combinations of specific protein antigenic complexes with immunomodulators, providing high specific immune response in 100 % of animals, significant reduction of immunization terms, material and labor input. Immune sera obtained are high quality biological material to be used for production of different diagnostic immunobiological preparations.

Recombinant Bacillus anthracis strain 55∆ ТПА-1Spo^- passed in vitro preserved its asporogenic property and ability to replicate recombinant plasmid. Synthesis of immunogenic protein by genetically engineered producer did not depend on CO₂ content in the atmosphere. Determined were the conditions of propagation of asporogenic strain to increase the production of protective antigen. Using Bacillus anthracis asporogenic strain in technological process will provide the safe and ecological procedure of obtaining the major component of chemical anthrax vaccine.

Carried out was comparative evaluation of the alterations of IL-1α content in the blood serum and the level of the medium mass molecules under the conditions of treating with the Yersinia pestis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in increasing doses (from LD₂₅ up to 2LD₅₀). Y. pestis LPS was shown to induce IL-1α generation by its cell-producers with subsequent realization of this cytokine local and systematic polymodal effects. While plague intoxication induced by Y. pestis LPS increasing doses administration progressed, IL-1α content remained stably high, even in endotoxin-caused shock.