We observed 16 patients aged 16 to 20 years (Iu = 18 years) with hepatic echinococcosis at an early stage of the disease with a cyst diameter from 14 to 38 mm. Along with radiation diagnostic methods, a serological blood test was performed for the presence of specific antibodies to cystic echinococcosis using the Echinococcus-IgGEIA-BEST diagnostic kits (Novosibirsk, Russia). In the initial study, the ELISA test was positive in 62.5 % of patients. In 37.5 % of cases, a seronegative course of the disease was observed. Upon repeated examination (after 6 months), positive results were registered in 87.5 % of patients. At the same time, in the group of patients who received only conservative antiparasitic therapy, the ratio of positive results was 100%.
This article is devoted to the formation and development of the Department of Biology and General Genetics at Sechenov University, beginning with the Faculty of Medicine at the Imperial Moscow University. In 1930, the 1st Moscow Medical Institute became an independent university, where the Department of General Biology was established to teach biology to medical students. Throughout its history, the department’s scientific interests have evolved from experimental biology under the direction of Zavadovsky, to medical parasitology and helminthology, the development of which was facilitated by Talyzin, Bogoyavlensky, Chebyshev, and, finally, to modern molecular genetics and biomedicine, headed by Shidlovsky. The continuity of traditions demonstrates the department’s ability to adapt to the challenges of the times, while maintaining a high level of specialist training and conducting relevant scientific research. The department actively implements modern approaches to teaching; the educational program is focused on indepth study of molecular biology and meets high international standards. Joining the Institute of Biodesign and Artificial Intelligence in Medicine underscores the department’s focus on interdisciplinary research and the use of modern technologies. Work is actively underway to popularize science: organizing student conferences, scientific clubs, public lectures for schoolchildren, and excursions.
The review is devoted to invasive species of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes (Ae. albopictus, Ae. aegypti, Ae. koreicus) registered on the Black Sea coast of the Russian Federation. The main attention paid to Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, having significant epidemiological importance, primarily as vectors of arboviral diseases. The main strategy for controlling the number of mosquitoes is the use of substances from different chemical groups with insecticidal activity, mainly pyrethroids, organophosphates (OP) and carbamates. Longterm use of pesticides with the same mechanism of action inevitably leads to the formation of resistance in arthropods based on specific and nonspecific mechanisms. In modern conditions, the problem of mosquito resistance to insecticides has a global character. We analyzed literature data on the mechanisms of resistance to different groups of insecticides at the molecular level in Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. In particular, information is provided on the known: 1) kdr mutations leading to amino acid substitutions in voltage-sensitive sodium channels affected by pyrethroids and DDT; 2) rdl-mutations causing changes in GABA receptors and, as 53 a consequence, resistance to phenylpyrazoles and a number of organochlorine compounds; 3) ace-mutations that reduce the sensitivity of the active center of acetylcholinesterase to ОP. The presence of nonspecific mechanisms of resistance, i.e. increase in the activity of enzyme systems involved in detoxification of xenobiotics, has also been shown in resistant individuals. Data on the occurrence of kdr-mutations in mosquitoes in different countries presented. It is noted that in Russia in Krasnodar region, populations of Ae. albopictus mosquitoes remain susceptible to pyrethroid insecticides. The strategy of controlling the number of invasive species of mosquitoes should include monitoring of their resistance to insecticides, which will allow timely selection of effective control tactics in case of epidemiological threat.
The article provides an overview of Russian and foreign literature on modern methods in parasitology. The methods of modern digitalization, machine learning and artificial intelligence are shown as the most promising areas for the development of scientific knowledge. It is determined that the creation of new breakthrough technologies – computer, cloud and databases significantly simplifies the conduct of parasitological research and allows a modern scientist to reach a new, higher-quality level of modern knowledge. The integration of digital solutions based on information and communication technologies into the work of parasitology specialists is an important area for increasing the productivity of modern science. This approach promotes a shift away from classical methods of parasitological research towards innovative developments using intelligent interfaces. Gradually, digital tools are becoming an integral part of the daily practice of parasitology, bringing research to a higher technological level. The analysis of the specifics of the introduction of IT technologies in this scientific field suggests that their practical application contributes to a deeper understanding of biological processes, helps to overcome difficulties in studying parasitic systems, and also reveals the potential of augmented reality technologies for more effective perception and analysis of scientific information in various research areas. Key words: parasitic diseases, digitalization, artificial intelligence, machine learning, geographic information system.
The article presents the results of epizootological and epidemiological monitoring of dirofilariasis in the south of Russia in the period 2000-2024. During this period, 4378 blood samples of dogs living and serving in the south of Russia were examined. In general, the prevalence of dirofilaria in definitive hosts decreased from 21.0 ± 1.1% (2000-2008) to 13.6 ± 0.9% (2017-2024). Long-term observations have shown that the level of infection of domestic dogs directly depends on the conditions of their keeping. Over the past twenty years, the prevalence of dirofilariasis in service and apartment dogs has decreased by 4 times, and a stray animal continue to grow and currently reaches 25.0%. Based on the analysis of 317 medical records of patients with dirofilariasis treated in the clinic of infectious and parasitic diseases for the period 2000-2024, a decrease in the number of patients with dirofilariasis on average per year from 19.56±0.28 (2000-2008) to 6.38±1.50 (2017-2024) people was noted. Long-term observations of dirofilariasis in animals and humans indicate a positive epidemiological and epizootological situation in the south of Russia. Official statistics indicate a stable incidence rate of the population in Russia of 0.04-0.09 per 100 thousand people, which is due to the expansion of the distribution area of dirofilaria to the northern and north-eastern regions of the country and the urbanization of this invasion.
Objective: to assess the infestation of blood-sucking mosquitoes with dirofilariasis pathogens in the Khabarovsk urban agglomeration. Materials and methods: from July to September 2024 and from June to July 2025, 2736 female blood-sucking mosquitoes of the genera Culex, Anopheles, and Aedes were caught and examined in the Khabarovsk urban agglomeration. Mosquitoes were collected in the southern, central, and northern parts of Khabarovsk and adjacent territories. The study was carried out using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: as a result of the studies, the genetic material of Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis was detected in 19 pools of Culex mosquitoes and in 44 pools of Aedes mosquitoes. During the study period, the estimated infection rate of blood-sucking mosquitoes was 3.0% for Dirofilaria immitis and 0.3% for Dirofilaria repens, respectively. Dirofilaria repens DNA was not detected in any of the samples of Culex mosquitoes. During the study period, the highest infection rate of Dirofilaria immitis mosquitoes was recorded in September (EIR = 4.2%), when the capture was carried out on the territory of the Cynological Service Center. Conclusion: The results of molecular genetic monitoring of the circulation of dirofilariasis pathogens in the city of Khabarovsk showed a predominance of mosquitoes containing Dirofilaria immitis DNA in the collections, and, obviously, reflect the situation with the infestation of the main definitive hosts – dogs, which makes it relevant to conduct studies to assess the infestation of animals kept in the surveyed areas. A high epidemiological significance of Aedes mosquitoes as carriers of Dirofilaria spp. has been established in the territory of the Khabarovsk urban agglomeration due to their high numbers and invasion by dirofilariasis pathogens.
The study showed the continued risk of invasion by strongyloidiasis in the Russian Federation. In the period from 2016 to 2024, 91 cases of the disease were registered in 32 regions of the country (38 %). In 71 % of cases, infection occurred on the territory of the Russian Federation. The incidence rate decreased from 0.012 0/0000 to 0.006 0/0000 during the specified period. According to the analysis of the cards of the epidemic survey of cases of stron-gyloidiasis (2019-2024), children aged 0-17 years account for 33% of the total number of cases. The average age of patients is 31 years, while there is a slight predominance of males among those infected. Most cases of the disease were registered among citizens of the Russian Federation. More than 73 % of those infected are urban residents. The largest number of cases was recorded among the unemployed population (80 %). Strongyloidiasis was asymptomatic in 22 % of patients. Among the clinical manifestations, abdominal pain of varying intensity, diarrheal syndrome and skin rashes, including itchy exanthema, were observed. In 29 % of cases, infection occurred during trips abroad, most often to endemic countries such as Thailand, Abkhazia, and Vietnam. The main causes of infection are contact with earth or sand. The sanitary and parasitological study (2010-2024) showed that the causative agents of strongyloidiasis were detected at environmental facilities in 30 regions of the Russian Federation. The most contaminated with eggs and larvae were sewage and sludge residues (0.23 0/00), sewage (0.17 0/00), food products and food raw materials (0.16 0/00), sand and soil (0.15 0/00).
The search for new antiparasitic and antifungal agents is becoming increasingly relevant due to the widespread occurrence of helminthiasis and invasive mycoses, as well as the increasing resistance of pathogens. Mushrooms of the genus Pleurotus are considered as a promising source of biologically active metabolites. The aim of the work was to evaluate the spectrum of antifungal activity of metabolites of eight strains of the genus Pleurotus grown in a submerged culture. Materials and methods. Ethyl acetate extracts of culture liquid and ethanol extracts of mycelium were studied. Antifungal activity was assessed by the diffusion method in relation to ten clinically significant test objects, including pathogens from the priority list of the World Health Organization (Candida albicans, Candidozyma auris, Aspergillus fumigatus and others). Results. Ethyl acetate extracts of the culture fluid exhibit higher and broader antifungal activity compared to mycelium extracts. The most active strains were Pleurotus ostreatus M-37 and Pleurotus citrinopileatus 1 against critically important pathogens C. albicans, C. auris and A. fumigatus. Conclusion. The most promising producers of antifungal compounds among the studied strains were P. ostreatus M-37 and P. citrinopileatus 1. The revealed antifungal activity, combined with the known nematocidal properties of oyster mushrooms, allows them to be considered as a universal platform for the search for new remedies against mycoses and parasitoses.
The presented work presents a literature review of cryptosporidiosis, one of the most common parasitic (protozoan) diseases of animals dangerous for humans. The systematic position of pathogens, some issues of epizootology, clinical manifestations of the disease, pathogenesis and diagnostic methods are briefly described. The work is illustrated with photographs.
The relevance of the study is based on the scientific generalization of modern approaches to technological methods for improving parasitological determinations in potentially hazardous materials from the population’s habitat and decisions on the modernization of laboratory activities in the parasitological profile as part of the regulatory regulation of biological safety in the Russian Federation. Materials and methods. An analysis of more than 12 peer-reviewed sources from Russian and foreign scientific research and 10 sources of legal regulation was conducted to review and substantiate the concept of multi-criteria assessment of parasitological safety in the state control system. Research objective: Analysis of modern technologies for assessing the effectiveness of laboratory research based on multi-criteria PCR analysis in parasitology. Conclusions. Modern methodological approaches to promising forms of research quality management have been updated based on the development of effective technologies for parasitological control of environmental and public biosecurity in order to achieve the national development goals of the Russian Federation.
Congenital toxoplasmosis is a widespread classical intrauterine infection. The transmission of T. gondii to the fetus occurs from a mother who became infected with the parasite during pregnancy. The purpose of the article is once again to draw the attention of obstetricians and gynecologists, neonatologists, pediatricians, parasitologists and other specialists to the problem of congenital toxoplasmosis. The review provides modern ideas about the features and mechanisms of transmission of T. gondii to the fetus during pregnancy; the stages of development of congenital toxoplasmosis and its clinical classification. The severity of clinical symptoms of the disease in the perinatal, neonatal and postnatal periods and treatment tactics of a child with congenital toxoplasmosis are discussed. A detailed analysis is given according to indications for laboratory examination for congenital toxoplasmosis, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of the disease, including methods of laboratory diagnosis for the detection of antibodies – immunoglobulins M, G, A. K. T. gondii, DNA of the parasite. The importance of instrumental methods is also characterized: MRI, ultrasound, CT, etc. in confirming the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. It is concluded that it is necessary to familiarize medical workers with the methods of clinical and laboratory diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis, which will help timely detection, therapy and prevention of the disease. The importance of long-term monitoring of T. gondii-infected children is shown.
To assess the influence of genetic features of metabolic processes in bone tissue on the reactivity of the hepatobiliary system in opisthorchiasis invasion, a study of biochemical parameters was conducted in subgroups of patients with chronic opisthorchiasis with and without mutations in loci associated with a predisposition to the development of osteoporosis. It was found that the presence of a mutation in the rs1544410 locus of the VDR gene enhances the negative impact of chronic opisthorchiasis invasion on bile secretion (increased alkaline phosphatase activity), and in the rs2234693 locus of the ESR1 gene – on the concentration of glucose in the blood. However, the presence of rare alleles associated with a predisposition to osteoporosis in other loci prevents the negative impact of chronic opisthorchiasis on the functions of the hepatobiliary system and pancreas, namely, an increase in the concentration of bilirubin (ESR1 rs2234693, ESR1 rs9340799), activity of AM (ESR1 rs9340799), ALT (LCT rs4988235), GGT and ALP (LCT rs4988235, LRP5 rs3736228). In the group with a mutation in the rs1800012 locus of the COL1 A1 gene, differences in the change in indicators (ALT, AST and GGT activity) after anthelmintic therapy were revealed, possibly associated with the role of collagen in the reaction of metabolic processes not only to invasion, but also to the treatment process.
Dirofilariasis is a zoonotic infestation caused by nematodes Dirofilaria repens and D. immitis, transmitted by mosquitoes. The main reservoir is dogs. In the Russian Federation, data from Rospotrebnadzor (2006-2012) revealed a steady increase in human morbidity (143 cases in 2012 against 84 in 2011). A predominance of urban residents (97 %) and women (76 %) is characteristic. The most common localization of the parasite is the eye (39 %) and the head (19 %). The formation of urban foci is associated with the synanthropic mosquito Culex pipiens and infected dogs. Diagnosis is complicated by the polymorphism of the clinic (in 2012, only 55.6 % of the initial diagnoses were correct). Despite the fact that official registration has been discontinued since 2013, dirofilariasis remains an epidemiologically significant disease in the Russian Federation, requiring increased control of reservoir animals and medical attention. The purpose of this study: Is to investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of dirofilariasis in the Krasnodar Territory. Materials and methods: Medical records of the patients, diagnostic tests, and drug therapy were used as research materials.
Resume. A case of tropical malaria complicated by acute hepatic and renal insufficiency, severe grade two-stage cytopenia (anemia, thrombocytopenia) is presented. The anuria lasted for two weeks, which required extracorporeal therapy, 6 sessions of hemofiltration and hemodialysis with a PRISMAFLEX device, plasma extraction of 3000 ml and replacement with freshly frozen plasma of 2800 ml and 20 % 200 ml of albumin, 4 transfusions of 500 ml of single-group erythrocyte mass. Etiotropic therapy included the administration of hydroxychloroquine and mefloquine. Isotonic solutions of glucose and saline in a volume of 600-700 ml, the antibiotic ceftriaxone 2.0 g/day, and small doses of furosemide were administered. The disease ended in recovery.
The article describes cases of detection of sparganums extracted from various localization sites during surgical intervention in different animal species or during veterinary and sanitary examination of carcasses. The authors registered 5 cases of sparganosis in additional hosts (2 cats, 1 dog, snakes and 1 pig). In one case, proliferative sparganosis was diagnosed (15 specimens of sparganum were removed from the abdominal cavity of a cat), in the remaining cases, non-proliferative sparganosis was diagnosed. The distinctive features of sparganums – bothridial slits (bothria) on the scolex, the presence of false segmentation on the strobilus, a flattened, elongated shape, and a milky-white color – were characteristic of all the described cases of sparganosis.
The aim of this work is to study the species and sex structure of ixodid tick communities removed from people and collected from vegetation in the Tyumen region in 2021-2024, and the frequency of detection of genetic markers of pathogens of vector-borne infections in these ticks. Research methods: collecting ticks from vegetation on a flag, removing from human skin, identification by morphological features, polymerase chain reaction method. Results: Two species of ixodid ticks were detected: Ixodes persulcatus and Dermacentor reticulatus. Among the ticks removed from people, taiga ticks were more common than meadow ticks. Among the ticks of both species removed from people, females were significantly more common. The prevalence of genetic markers of pathogens was higher in I. persulcatus than in D. reticulatus. The frequency of detection of Borrelia DNA was higher in I. persulcatus than in D. reticulatus, and in taiga ticks collected from vegetation, it was higher than in those removed from people. The dynamics of the frequency of detection of genetic markers of pathogens in taiga ticks collected from vegetation suggests that in 2021-2024 there was a decrease in the infection of taiga ticks with the tick-borne encephalitis virus and an increase in infection with Borrelia, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma. The results show the leading role of taiga ticks in maintaining the epidemic activity of natural foci in the Tyumen region and the need to continue monitoring the epidemiological significance of meadow ticks. The detected increase in the prevalence of genetic markers of borrelia, ehrlichia and anaplasma in taiga ticks by 2024, the detection of borrelia DNA for the first time in several years in 2024 in meadow ticks collected from vegetation, apparently indicate an increase in the epidemic risk of human infection with tick-borne infections.
This publication presents the results of a study of biomaterial from 203 dogs kept in apartments in one of the districts of a Moscow , in order to detect helminth eggs and diagnose nematodosis, the causative agent Toxocara canis. The larvae of nematodes of this species are capable of parasitizing the human body (larva migrans syndrome), causing a parasitic (zoonotic) disease – larval toxocariasis. As a result of the studies, it was found that out of 203 samples of biomaterial from dogs, the diagnosis of toxocariasis was confirmed in 79. Thus, the extensiveness of the invasion was 39%.
Objectives and tasks of the study: The study conducts a retrospective analysis of scientific publications regarding practical applications of methods for artificial feeding and infection of ixodid ticks. Materials and Methods. Scientific articles were analyzed from databases such as PubMed, eLIBRARY, Google Scholar, and Scopus, focusing on in vitro methods of artificially infecting ixodid ticks with pathogens causing transmissible diseases. Advantages and limitations of each method are evaluated based on published experimental data and statistics. Results and Discussion. This paper reviews contemporary laboratory techniques used for infecting ixodid ticks to investigate mechanisms of infectious disease spread. Key approaches include the use of capillaries, membranes, injection, and immersion of ticks into enriched solutions. Strengths and weaknesses of these methodologies are discussed along with their impact on tick viability and possible directions for improving technology. Special emphasis is placed on developments that reduce reliance on animal models while enhancing experimental accuracy.
he present scientific research is aimed at systematizing general approaches to the choice of multiplex PCR in clinical and sanitary parasitology. Our data are based on the need to focus the laboratory service, which carries out parasitological control of environmental safety, on the development and organization of multicomplex studies, which, based on a provide the most comprehensive data for a factor analysis and multi-criteria assessment of the parasitological situation in the country. The purpose of the study: Conducting an analysis of current trends and our own multicriteria data for evaluating the effectiveness of laboratory tests based on PCR analysis in parasitology. Materials and methods. The analysis of modern literature data from peer-reviewed sources (PubMed) has been carried out to substantiate the scientific purpose of the study. A series of experimental studies of two sets of multiplex PCR (qPCR) tests for the detection of 7 helminth species contained in 192 model samples was carried out. Research results. The methodological limitations and advantages of using microscopic and multimplex PCR studies are determined. The limits of detection of DNA from helminth eggs and fragments of imago tissues of round and flat helminths stored for a long time in preservative, as well as in freshly isolated biomaterial, have been established at the level of 101-103 in 100 µl and the diagnostic sensitivity of PCR tests at the level of 70,0- 90,0 %. Conclusion. It is proposed to develop an innovative form of multi-criteria assessment of environmental parasitic safety based on the widespread use of multiplex PCR (qPCR) tests, and in the future, with the introduction of digital PCR (dPCR) to simultaneously determine the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of pathogenic contaminants of different types when testing uniform samples. Based on the data obtained, the necessity of active development of PCR technologies and their wide application in parasitology in the laboratory service of state control bodies is substantiated.
Toxoplasma gondii is known to cause congenital infection in humans, animals, and severe illness in immunocompromised individuals. Therefore, the development of vaccines against the parasite is necessary. Despite significant advances in the development of effective vaccines against toxoplasmosis, the search for new vaccination strategies remains challenging. Over the past few years, various experimental approaches have shown that the development of a vaccine against T. gondii is possible. This review summarizes the achievements in the development of T. gondii vaccines and the main obstacles to the creation of a safe, effective and longlasting vaccine. Successes and failures in the development and testing of candidate vaccines are also discussed.
