No abstract

Coronaviruses are the largest group of known positive-strand RNA viruses. Coronavirus infection can affect various animal species, as well as humans. Over the past two decades, coronaviruses have caused epidemic outbreaks of two respiratory diseases: the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. At the end of 2019, a new type of virus was detected in China. The virus has been spread by humantohuman transmission and has caused a viral pneumonia outbreak. The emergence of a new coronavirus proves that the diseases caused by this group of viruses pose a threat to global health due to the potential for a pandemic, and, therefore, need careful monitoring. The objective of the study was to analyse the current epidemic situation for the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2, taking into account previous outbreaks of infections caused by MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV β-coronaviruses which pose the greatest threat to human health. The review briefly describes two epidemic outbreaks caused by SARS-CoV (2002–2004) and MERS-CoV (2012–present), summarises the current epidemic situation for the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, describes the main restrictive measures undertaken to prevent the spread of infection in Russia. The paper considers aspects of potential specific therapy and the development of prophylactic vaccines against the new coronavirus infection. The review concludes that SARS-CoV-2 has pandemic potential and that new strains of β-coronaviruses are likely to cause outbreaks in the future. The paper points to the need for careful monitoring of the disease and conducting preventive anti-epidemic measures to curb the spread of infection.

Rotavirus infection is a widespread cause of severe gastroenteritis in children in low-income countries. Specific prophylaxis in young children has become the most important means of combating severe rotavirus gastroenteritis. The review presents current data on the molecular biology and genetic diversity of rotaviruses, interaction of viral proteins with host cell receptors, molecular aspects of infectivity and pathogenesis of rotavirus infection, and the development of immunity. It addresses a new approach to the epidemiology of rotavirus infection which regards it as a manageable infection, it illustrates the specificity of the epidemic process based on data gained from extensive experience in vaccination, and summarises relevant information on the introduction of rotavirus vaccines into the international healthcare practice. The paper summarises risks associated with the use of vaccines based on the analysis of WHO statistics, scientific publications on the epidemiology of rotavirus infection, and the results of vaccination. It analyses approaches of the competent authorities of some countries to the tactics of vaccination against rotavirus infection and the WHO stance on the use of existing vaccines for the prevention of rotavirus infection. A conclusion was made that it is necessary to further improve the tactics of vaccine prevention of rotavirus infection in Russia, to study the incidence of idiopathic intussusception, and to conduct further studies aimed at characterisation of existing and newly emerging genotypes of rotavirus.

The article presents the results of a retrospective analysis of viral hepatitis B incidence in the Russian Federation from 2013 to 2017, taking into account the use of vaccines included into the National Immunisation Schedule and the Immunisation Programme in Case of Epidemic Outbreaks. The analysis of the data revealed a trend towards a reduction in the incidence of acute and chronic forms of hepatitis B in the territory of the Russian Federation during the past five years. The reduction of viral hepatitis B incidence was achieved thanks to a higher vaccination coverage of both children and adults. The article presents an overview of monovalent and combination recombinant hepatitis B vaccines licensed in the Russian Federation. It describes the WHO position on preventive vaccination against viral hepatitis B, and pays special attention to vaccination of people at risk. The article considers promising areas for improving immunobiological products for hepatitis B prevention, including new technologies used in vaccine production, development and introduction of new adjuvants or adjuvants systems, and development of therapeutic vaccines.

The rotavirus infection causes acute gastroenteritis and is a major cause of lethal severe dehydrating diarrhoea in children under 5 years of age worldwide. Live attenuated rotavirus vaccines are the only means of preventing severe forms of the disease. The aim of the study was to analyse the twenty-year international experience of prophylactic immunisation against rotavirus infection. The paper summarises safety and efficacy data on the long-term use of Rotarix® (Belgium) and RotaTeq® (USA) for the prevention of rotavirus infection in the WHO European Region, the European Union and other countries. It addresses the development of correlates of immune protection for vaccines as well as evaluation of efficacy and safety of the new vaccines Rotavac® and Rotasiil® (India) in clinical trials. The authors analysed international experience of using the vaccines in countries that do not keep records of infant mortality from diarrhoea. The study summarises the results of clinical studies on the use of new vaccines prequalified by WHO in 2018 in regions with high rates of infant mortality from diarrhoea. It was demonstrated that vaccination not only reduces the rates of hospital admission of immunised children, but also contributes to the development of herd immunity. Rotarix® and RotaTeq® vaccines are authorised or included in the national immunisation schedules of many countries, but this type of vaccination is not mandatory in most of these countries. Vaccination coverage in the EU countries is about 24 %. Alternative vaccination schemes using live attenuated vaccines based on strains derived from newborn children, and parenteral rotavirus vaccines which do not replicate in the intestine may help reduce existing risks. It was concluded that the introduction of live rotavirus vaccines in immunisation schedules should be accompanied by the analysis of incidence of intussusception of the small intestine before and after the introduction of mass immunisation, and by active pharmacovigilance.