Influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections are the most common contemporary infectious diseases resulting in prominent harm to human health and great economic damage. At least five groups of viruses including more than 300 subtypes are currently referred to ARVI pathogens. Such infectious agents are characterized by variability resulting in their altered antigenic characteristics, increased contagiousness, "evasion from immune response and resistance to antivirals. Relevance of influenza and other ARVIs is also accounted for by rapid development of bacteria-associated respiratory diseases. Continuous variability of influenza viruses and emergence of new ARVI pathogens pose a serious threat. In recent years, a simultaneous circulation of subtype A (H1N1) and A (H3N2) influenza viruses with a predominance of a pandemic strain as well as type B viruses have been observed. Among the causative agents of non-influenza ARVIs, respiratory syncytial virus, rhino- and adenoviruses, and I/III parainfluenza viruses are recorded most often. Here we present the data of virology and serological examination of clinical samples collected during the 2018 – 2019 epidemic season in the Republic of Kazakhstan. For this, 2794 clinical samples (2530 nasopharyngeal swabs and 264 blood serums) were collected from patients diagnosed with ARVI, ARI, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Analysis of nasopharyngeal swabs for detection of influenza by RT-PCR demonstrated that mixed etiology influenza viruses with predominance of A/H1N1pdm virus circulated in Kazakhstan. The genetic fingerprints of influenza virus were found in 511 swabs (20.20% of total examined samples). Influenza A virus RNA was detected in 508 biological samples: A/H1N1 – in 289, A/H3N2 – in 209, and unidentified virus subtype in 10 samples. Type B influenza virus was detected in 3 samples. Study of 264 serum samples by HAI assay and ELISA showed emergence of antibodies against influenza A/H1N1, A/H3N2, and B viruses in residents from various regions of Kazakhstan that indirectly confirmed co-circulation of these viruses. 42 influenza virus strains were isolated in chicken embryos, from which 28 were assigned to A/H1N1pdm virus, 13 to A/H3N2 virus, and one isolate was identified as influenza B virus. Laboratory diagnostics of clinical samples for ARVIs established that among identified non-influenza agents respiratory syncytial virus dominated, while rhinoviruses and adenoviruses were less common. Metapneumoviruses, bocaviruses, coronaviruses, and type I parainfluenza viruses were detected in few cases. Comparison of study data with those obtained after examining circulation of influenza viruses during the 2017 – 2018 epidemic season showed that in 2018 – 2019 in Kazakhstan similar to the previous epidemic season, influenza A and B viruses continued to circulate, with prevalence of A/H1N1pdm virus. Identification of non-influenza viruses causing respiratory infections in 2018 – 2019 showed predominance of respiratory syncytial virus, which correlated with data on the 2017 – 2018 epidemic season.

Bulletin the National academy of sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan 2 NAS RK is pleased to announce that Bulletin of NAS RK scientific journal has been accepted for indexing in the Emerging Sources Citation Index, a new edition of Web of Science. Content in this index is under consideration by Clarivate Analytics to be accepted in the Science Citation Index Expanded, the Social Sciences Citation Index, and the Arts & Humanities Citation Index. The quality and depth of content Web of Science offers to researchers, authors, publishers, and institutions sets it apart from other research databases. The inclusion of Bulletin of NAS RK in the Emerging Sources Citation Index demonstrates our dedication to providing the most relevant and influential multidiscipline content to our community. Қазақстан Республикасы Ұлттық ғылым академиясы "ҚР ҰҒА Хабаршысы" ғылыми журналының Web of Science-тің жаңаланған нұсқасы Emerging Sources Citation Index-те индекстелуге қабылданғанын хабарлайды. Бұл индекстелу барысында Clarivate Analytics компаниясы журналды одан əрі the Science Citation Index Expanded, the Social Sciences Citation Index жəне the Arts & Humanities Citation Index-ке қабылдау мəселесін қарастыруда. Web of Science зерттеушілер, авторлар, баспашылар мен мекемелерге контент тереңдігі мен сапасын ұсынады. ҚР ҰҒА Хабаршысының Emerging Sources Citation Index-ке енуі біздің қоғамдастық үшін ең өзекті жəне беделді мультидисциплинарлы контентке адалдығымызды білдіреді. НАН РК сообщает, что научный журнал «Вестник НАН РК» был принят для индексирования в Emerging Sources CitationIndex, обновленной версии Web of Science. Содержание в этом индексировании находится в стадии рассмотрения компанией Clarivate Analytics для дальнейшего принятия журнала в the Science Citation Index Expanded, the Social Sciences Citation Index и the Arts & Humanities Citation Index. Web of Science предлагает качество и глубину контента для исследователей, авторов, издателей и учреждений. Включение Вестника НАН РК в Emerging Sources Citation Index демонстрирует нашу приверженность к наиболее актуальному и влиятельному мультидисциплинарному контенту для нашего сообщества.

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The purpose of the study was to examine susceptibility of the Kazakhstan strains of infl uenza A/H1N1 and type B viruses, isolated from various regions of Kazakhstan in 2018–2019, to antiviral drugs. Materials and methods. The susceptibility analysis of 20 strains of infl uenza A/H1N1 and B viruses was carried out with chemotherapeutic agents including Remantadine, Tamifl u, Arbidol, and Ingavirin. Viruses were cultured in the allantoic cavity of developing 10-day-old chicken embryos for 48 hours at 36 °C. The hemagglutinating activity was determined according to the conventional method on 96-well plates using 0.75% chicken red blood cell suspension; the infectivity was calculated by the Reed-Muench method. The sensitivity of virus strains to diff erent concentrations of antiviral drugs was evaluated by the level of reproductive suppression of 100 lg EID50/0.2 ml of virus in chicken embryos. Statistical analysis was performed with the use of Microsoft Offi ce Excel 2010 software. Results. A study of sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents demonstrated heterogeneity of Kazakhstan 2018–2019 infl uenza A and B viruses population on this feature. The sensitivity to Tamifl u was found in all Kazakhstan strains of infl uenza A/H1N1 virus and three type B strains (inhibitory concentration was 0.44–25.38 μg/mL). The reproduction of most viruses was eff ectively inhibited by tamifl u at a concentration of 0.68–3.23 μg/mL. The inhibitory concentration for the three strains of A/H1N1 virus was 7.23–25.38 μg/mL. Remantadin inhibited the reproduction of viruses at higher doses (12.60–25.55 μg/mL). All viruses under study were resistant to Arbidol and Ingavirin. One type B infl uenza virus was found to be weakly sensitive to Ingavirin. Conclusion. The heterogeneity of the infl uenza virus population in their sensitivity to antiviral drugs indicates the need for constant epidemiological surveillance in order to identify drug-resistant variants.

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