Features of leptospirosis in the Krasnodar Territory

The data on leptospirosis morbidity in the Krasnodar Territory, one of the most epidemiologically unsafe areas in this infectious disease in the Russian Federation, are presented. High morbidity registered in this territory greatly depends on the epidemic outbreaks appearing due to defects in the realization of a complex of sanitary and veterinary measures. The Krasnodar Territory is liable to be affected by natural calamities. In 1997 a severe outbreak of leptospirosis took place here in connection with the high flood. Due to timely prophylactic measures the epidemiological consequencies of the similar calamity occurring in 2002 were brought to a minimum.     

Immunologic monitoring of leptospirosis in the Maritime Territory

The epidemiological and epizootic situation in Leptospira infections at the Maritime [correction of Primorski] Territory is evaluated on the basis of complex studies carried out in 1984-1989. As revealed in these studies, cases of leptospirosis among humans have a sporadic character and are mainly registered among professional high risk groups of the population. In the immunological structure of persons covered by the survey L. hebdomadis, L. pomona and L. javanica prevail. The anthropourgic foci of leptospirosis caused by L. pomona are of the leading epidemiological importance. Swine serves as the main source of infection in these foci. The study revealed the epidemic danger of the natural foci of leptospirosis caused by L. grippotyphosa and L. javanica in rice fields where the decisive factors of leptospirosis proved to be reed voles and striped field mice serving as reservoirs of this infection, as well as the synanthropic foci of leptospirosis caused by L. hebdomadis with house mice serving as the main carriers.     

The organization of an epidemiological surveillance of HIV infection in Krasnodar Territory

For the first time a case of AIDS was detected in the Krasnodar Territory of the USSR, and the presence of HIV infection in homosexuals, foreign students, and promiscuous persons was established. To study the spread of HIV infection, 5 diagnostic laboratories were created and 5 routes for the transportation of sera were organized. This permitted the screening of the population in 1988 with the complete coverage of groups to be placed under surveillance.     

Anti-epidemic provision for the population in emergency situations in the Krasnodar Territory

Information on natural calamities, caused by hydrologically dangerous phenomena (high flood, tornado, mountain torrents) which took place in the Krasnodar Territory in summer 2002) are presented. As the result of the emergency situations 110 settlements with the population exceeding 116,000 inhabitants were inundated. At the peak of the high flood more than 36,000 homesteads were inundated, more than 56,000 persons had to be evacuated. The aggravation of the epidemiological situation in the affected settlements and in the territory as a whole could be prevented due to the timely planning and realization of measures aimed at the sanitary and epidemiological provision of the population of the Krasnodar Territory (the sanitation and disinfection of settlements, the campaign for the immunoprophylaxis of the population with respect of infectious diseases, etc.), unprecedented in their scope.     

Identification of a novel potential antigen for early-phase serodiagnosis of leptospirosis

This study examined four genes encoding for predicted membrane proteins selected from the genome sequences of Leptospira interrogans. Genes were cloned and the proteins expressed in E. coli. Immunoblotting analysis of the recombinants with sera from early and convalescent phases of a leptospirosis patient showed that two proteins, namely Lp29 and Lp49, were reactive with serum from both phases of the illness. These data were further confirmed in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using sera from both phases of seventeen confirmed leptospirosis specimens, suggesting that these proteins are presented to the host immune system during infection. In the early phase, anti-Lp29 IgM was detected in all sera when microscopic agglutination tests (MAT), the reference method for diagnosis of leptospirosis, were negative. The gene encoding Lp49 is conserved among five tested leptospiral pathogenic serovars, while Lp29 is present in serovars that are predominant in urban settings. These recombinant antigens might be valuable for serodiagnosis of both phases of leptospirosis.     

Leptospiral glycolipoprotein as a candidate antigen for serodiagnosis of human leptospirosis

Aims:  Development of a simple, specific, rapid and inexpensive Dot-ELISA test for early diagnosis of human leptospirosis.
Methods and Results:  Serum samples from 90 patients diagnosed with leptospirosis were analysed by Dot-ELISA test incorporating Glycolipoprotein (GLP) antigen from serovars Copenhageni and Patoc. Results were compared with those obtained with microscopic agglutination test, currently, the gold standard reference serological method. Serum samples from healthy blood bank donors and patients diagnosed with diseases other than leptospirosis were used as negative controls. The specificities of both GLP-based assays were 97·1% and 100% with serum samples from patients with other diseases and with serum samples from healthy control group, respectively. With serum samples from patients with acute leptospirosis, sensitivity was 76·6% with Dot-ELISA Copenhageni and 90·0% with Dot-ELISA Patoc. With serum samples from patients in convalescence, sensitivity was 100% with both GLP-based assays.
Conclusions:  This Dot-ELISA provides a candidate antigen for serodiagnosis of leptospirosis during all phases of illness and could be a good alternative method for the early diagnosis of leptospirosis.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  The Dot-ELISA test is simple, specific, rapid and inexpensive. It is suitable for identifying a large number of samples and, hence, reducing the death rate of patients with leptospirosis.     

Results of ambulatory care and serodiagnosis of leptospirosis in reconvalescents in the Kuban region

The importance of the medical checkup of leptospirosis reconvalscents is shown. In 18.9% of persons having had leptospirosis and placed under medical surveillance the presence of pathological changes has been established after clinical convalescence. Recommendations concerning the prolongation of the period of medical surveillance on leptospirosis reconvalescents with less frequent checkups are given.     

Pseudotuberculosis in the Krasnodar Territory. The clinico-epidemiological characteristics of its morbidity and the biological properties of its strains]

Group cases of pseudotuberculosis, first registered at health-restoring institutions of the health resort of Gelendzhik (the Krasnodar Territory), are described. The etiology of these cases of the disease was established on the basis of clinico-epidemiological data, specific seroconversion in 66% of the examined patients and the isolation of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis strains from the feces of four patients. The combination of signs observed in the isolated strains, viz. the presence of plasmids with molecular weights of 75 and 45 MD, resistance to bactericidal factors of normal human serum and autoagglutination in cell culture medium, made it possible to consider these strains to be virulent. The cases of infection were probably caused by the use of fresh cabbage salad. The study of 3,128 rodents caught in the Krasnodar Territory, including those caught in the area of the health resort, resulted in the isolation of 105 Y. enterocolitica strains and strains of 5 other Yersinia species, but not Y. pseudotuberculosis strains. The concept on the saprozoonotic nature of pseudotuberculosis was substantiated.     

To the fauna of bristletails of the families Meinertellidae and Machilidae (Thysanura) from Krasnodar Territory and Kazakhstan

Four new species, Machilinus caucasicus (Meinertellidae), Trigoniophthalmus fuscus, T. petrophilus, and Silvestrichilis zazimkoi from Krasnodar Territory, and one new species, Allopsontus linnaeusi (Machilidae) from Eastern Kazakhstan are described. A key to species of the genus Trigoniophthalmus is given.     

New data on the pteromalid wasps (Hymenoptera,Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) of Krasnodar Territory (Russia)

Three genera (Erdoesia Bou?ek, Metastenus Walker, and Novitzkyanus Bou?ek) and 24 species are recorded for the first time for the fauna of Russia; in addition, 39 species are new for the fauna of Krasnodar Territory. New host–parasite associations are revealed for 6 species of pteromalid wasps.     

Natural focus of leptospirosis in the rice paddies of Krasmodar Territory and the means for its eradication

OFFthe rice fields of the Krasnodar Territory the intensive epizootic of leptospirosis icterohemorrhagica can be observed in the population of Norway rats (995 animals have been examined and 102 cultures obtained) the whole year round. The highest intensity of the epizootic process is known to fall on the end of summer and the beginning of autumn (45-50% of Leptospira carriers). The natural focus of leptospirosis on the rice-growing complex is epidemiologically dangerous. The epizootic process can be suppressed by reducing the population of rats by means of poisoned baits. The alternate use of different poisons ( rotindan , brodifacum ) given in the form of paraffined briquettes has proved to be most expedient.     

Origin and morphology of atypical forms ofStreptomyces granaticolor

Nonfilamentous forms ofStreptomyces granaticolor are formed in a medium with amino acids and glucose. They form filaments again after transfer to a medium with glucose and peptone. The nonfilamentous forms do not produce granaticin. Formation of nonfilamentous forms depends on the concentration of the inoculum, on the cultivation temperature and on the presence of simple sugars. Ultrathin sections revealed atypical septation in the nonmycelial forms and non-uniform accumulation of the wall material.     

Development and evaluation of latex agglutination test coating with recombinant antigen,LipL32 for serodiagnosis of human leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira interrogans. Symptoms of disease range from mild symptoms to serious complications including, jaundice, pulmonary hemorrhage, renal and hepatic failure, which may prove fatal. Clinical presentations of this disease are similar with other febrile illness. Therefore, rapid and appropriated laboratory diagnostic tests are needed to aid clinical case identification. As these reasons, objective of this study is to develop and evaluate a simple latex agglutination test coating with recombinant leptospiral antigens, LipL32 for serodiagnosis of human leptospirosis. Firstly, lipl32 gene was amplified from genomic DNA of Leptospira interogans serovar Pyrogenes. Then PCR product of lipl32 gene was ligated with pGEX-2T plasmid, generating pGRK32 recombinant plasmid. Recombinant GST-LipL32 protein was overexpressed and subsequently purified by using Glutathione-Agarose Resin. Recombinant GST-Lipl32 protein was coated on latex beads for development latex agglutination test (LAT). The relative sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the developed LAT were compared with indirect immunofluorescences assay (IFA) for detection of anti-leptospiral antibodies in 30 human leptospirosis samples, 30 healthy blood donor samples, 10 dengue fever positive samples, 10 scrub typhus positive samples, and 10 melioidosis samples. Results showed that the developed LAT showed sensitivity, specificity and accuracy: 66.66%, 86.66%, and 80.00%, respectively, comparing with IFA method. Moreover, Kappa analysis showed agreement rate of the two methods were 0.421. It concluded that our developed gave compatible result with IFA. Additionally, Our LAT are simple, rapid and suitable for detection in the field. However, for better sensitivity, diagnostic specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy and Cohen’s kappa comparison should be done in larger amounts of sera samples.