These results consistently point to profound direct and herd immunity impacts of the rotavirus vaccine program in young children in the Republic of Moldova. Vaccine coverage was modest in these early years following introduction, so there remains potential for further disease reductions.

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Evidence is presented that cardiolipin, a naturally occurring phospholipid, inhibits the aggregatory effect of platelet-activating factor (paf) on rabbit platelets in vitro. Bovine heart cardiolipin was shown to inhibit the aggregation of washed rabbit platelets induced by 1 x 10(-10) M and 2 x 10(-10) M paf with IC50 values (doses for half-maximal inhibition) of 8.4 +/- 0.8 x 10(-7) M and 2.6 +/- 0.6 x 10(-6) M, respectively. Phosphonocardiolipin was also able to inhibit platelet aggregation induced by 1 x 10(-10) M paf with an IC50 value of 3 +/- 1 x 10(-7) M. Both compounds, in concentrations up to 1 x 10(-5) M, were unable to aggregate washed rabbit platelets and failed to inhibit the aggregation induced by 0.9 and 1.8 microM adenosine diphosphate or 0.2-1.0 microM arachidonic acid. By contrast, the acetylated derivative of cardiolipin exerted an aggregatory effect on aspirin-treated rabbit platelets in the presence of creatine phosphate/creatine phosphokinase. This aggregation was inhibited by the specific paf antagonists BN 52021 and WEB 2086. Also, platelets treated with acetyl-cardiolipin were insensitive to the aggregatory effect of paf. Phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylglycerol, bis(dipalmitoylglycero)phosphate and their phosphono analogues were totally inactive. Similar data were obtained when platelet-rich plasma was used instead of washed rabbit platelets. Our results support the hypothesis that the effect of cardiolipin is mediated through specific paf receptors that act on the rabbit platelet membrane.

Viral hepatitis, especially those with parenteral and sexual transmission, still remain a major problem of public health, both globally and for the Republic of Moldova, due to wide spreading, endemicity, increased morbidity and mortality and high rate of invalidity following the chronization of infection, but usually neglected by population and public health authorities. This paper describes the epidemiology and preventive and control measures of hepatitis C in Moldova. Epidemiological analysis of the surveillance data on hepatitis C incidence in the Republic of Moldova was conducted. The data were obtained from the national reporting system of infectious diseases and serosurvey studies. Epidemiological particularities of acute and chronic hepatitis C in general Moldovan population and specific risk groups were evaluated. National hepatitis policies for prevention and control were analyzed. Only consolidation of all the actions stipulated in the national and international normative documents on the prevention and control of hepatitis, will help to reduce the morbidity of viral hepatitis C and probably to eliminate the new cases of disease in some regions.

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