Vol 59, No 2 (2014)

The peculiarities of the influenza viruses circulation in 2012-2013 are discussed. The results were obtained in 10 cities of Russia, where basic laboratories of the Influenza Ecology and Epidemics Center of on the basis of Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, are situated. The increasing rate of the ARD morbidity caused by influenza viruses was observed in January-March 2013. The highest indices of the morbidity were detected during 6-7 weeks with the following decreasing rate till threshold levels to week 14. The influenza A (H1N1) pdm09, A (H3N2), and B viruses were the cause of the epidemic, but their activity differed over areas of Russia. The results of study of the antigenic and genetic properties of the influenza strains demonstrated closed relatives with respect to vaccine strains. In addition, some heterogeneity of the circulating strains and their drift variants were found as well. All tested strains were sensitive to oseltamivir (excluding one A (H1N1) pdm09 strain), zanamivir, arbidol, and remained resistant to rimantadine. The ratio of the ARD viruses was comparable with the last epidemic seasons.

Complete genome sequencing of three Tamdy (TAMV) virus strains was carried out. The prototype strain TAMV/ LEiV-1308Uz was isolated for the very first time from the Hyalomma asiaticum asiaticum Schulce et Schlottke, 1929 (Ixodidae, Hyalomminae) collected in the August 1971 from sheep in the arid area near Namdybulak town (41°36' N, 64°39' E) in the Tamdinsky district of the Bukhara region (Uzbekistan). TAMV was revealed to be a prototype member of the new phylogenetic group within the limits of the Nairovirus. The TAMV homology for RdRp (L-segment) amino acid sequence is not less than 40% with Crimea-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), Hazara virus (HAZV), and Dugbe virus (DUGV), which are also linked with ixodidae ticks. The TAMV homologies with the issyk-Kul virus (iSKV) and Caspiy virus (CASV) for RdRp are 37.6% and 37.7%, respectively. These data conformed to the low values of GnGc (M-segment) and nucleocapsid protein N (S-segment) homology. The TAMV homologies with the nairoviruses for GnGc is in average 25%; with the nairoviruses linked with ixodidae ticks (CCHFV, DUGV, HAZV) - 33%; with Argasidae ticks (iSKV, CASV) - 28%. The TAMV/LEiV-1308Uz, LEiV-6158Ar, and LEiV-10226Az have high level of identity. The TAMV/LEiV-10226Az from Azerbaijan has 99% homology for both nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the prototype TAMV/LEiV-1308Uz RdRp. The TAMV/LEiV-6158Ar from Armenia is more divergent and has 94.2% and 96.3% homologies with the TAMV/LEiV-1308Uz, respectively. The homology between the TAMV/LEiV-1308Uz and TAMV/LEiV-10226Az for GnGc is 93%. The TAMV/LEiV-6158Ar has 90% homology for this protein with the TAMV/LEiV-1308Uz and 93% with the TAMV/LEiV-10226Az, respectively. Differences in nucleocapsid protein between three TAMV strains are 5-7%.

The Tyulek virus (TLKV) was isolated from the ticks Argas vulgaris Filippova, 1961 (Argasidae), collected from the burrow biotopes in multispecies birds colony in the Aksu river floodplain near Tyulek village (northern part of Chu Valley, Kyrgyzstan). Recently, the TLKV was assigned to the Quaranfil group (including the Quaranfil virus (QRFV), Johnston Atoll virus (JAV), Lake Chad virus) that is a novel genus of the Quaranjavirus in the Orthomyxoviridae family. in his work, the complete genome (iD GenBank KJ438647-8) sequence of the TLKV was determined using next-generation sequencing (illumina platform). Comparison of deduced amino acid sequences shows closed relationship of the TlKv with QRFV and JAV (86% and 84% identity for PB1 and about 70% for PB2 and PA, respectively). The identity level of the TLKV and QRFV in outer glycoprotein GP is 72% и 80% for nucleotide and amino acid sequences, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the TLKV belongs to the genus of the Quaranjavirus in the family Orthomyxoviridae.

For the first time in vivo, the model of the viral pneumonia in mice was used to study the antiviral activity against influenza A virus (H1N1) pdm09 synthetic derivatives of adamantane series including the amino acid residues and lipoid acid. it was found that the adamantane derivatives with histidine, serine, and lipoid acid could inhibit the rimantadine-resistant strain of the influenza A (H1N1) pdm09. As a result, the lifespan of the mice infected with the virus has increased by 1.6 times with respect to viral control. Thus, the possibility of restoration of antiviral properties of rimantadine both in vitro and in vivo by introducing into its molecular structure new functionally active groups was tested.

The chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) contains a wide range of excellent bioactive compounds. However, limited information exists on the antiviral activity of the compounds extracted from chaga. A number of subfractions of chaga were obtained using different solvents and different procedures. The subfractions of chaga extracted with water, alcohol, alkali were tested for their toxicity for the Vero cell culture and antiviral effect in the Vero cells infected with the Herpes simplex virus (HSV), Type 1. it was shown that most of the subfractions were not toxic for the Vero cells and had protective effect on the Vero cells infected with HSV. The subfraction iV in the concentration 5 pg/ml protected the Vero cells from cytodestructive action of HSV and no viral DNA was detected in infected cells treated with chaga extracts. Best protective effect was observed when compound was added before or within one hour after the Vero cells were infected with HSV.