The effect of betulin derivatives on persistence properties of microorganisms was studied in vitro. It was shown that the antipersistence action of the betulin derivatives depended on their structure and the microbial species. The experimental data on the structure - function relation could be useful in development and synthesis of new agents for therapy of chronic infections associated with persistence of bacterial pathogens in macroorganism.

Antiviral activity of 7,3’-disulfate luteolin, extracted from Zostera marina was studied on an experimental model of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in vivo and in vitro. The drug increased the survival of the experimental mice infected with TBE virus and prolonged their lifespan. It was shown that 7,3’-disulfate luteolin reduced the virus accumulation in the SPEV cells by 2.0-4.0 lg TCID₅₀/ml.

The influence of antivirals, such as rimantadine, ribavirine and triazavirine on influenza virus replication in human cell cultures was evaluated. All the antivirals inhibited viral nucleoprotein NP synthesis. The strongest effect was shown for ribavirine in lung carcinoma A-549 cells and endothelial ECV-304 cells. Hoechst-33258 staining revealed induction of apoptosis in all the cell lines. Rimantadine and ribavirine inhibited virus-induced apoptosis while ribavirine enhanced it. The effect was registered in monolayer cell cultures as well as in suspension cell cultures. The influence of the antiviral drugs on the virus-induced cell proliferation in the suspension cell cultures is also described.

The behaviour of cefazolin in aqueous and biological media with varying the antibiotic concentration was studied by UV-spectroscopy. Range of the contents and the detection limits of cefazolin were determined. The procedure of UV-spectroscopy of cefazolin in mixed saliva of patients with urinary tract infection was developed.

Thirty three children with associative forms of thick-borne infection (thick-borne encephalitis with ixodic borreliosis) were clinically observed. The disease was characterized by subfebrile temperature, moderate intoxication, rare erythema (39.5%) and frequent cardiovascular disorders with development of Lyme carditis (32.6+7.2%) and further rise of hepatomegalia in the diseases dynamics and development of meningeal symptoms. There were observed changes in the cytokine spectrum, characterized by INF-γ high levels, and hypersecretion of the whole spectrum cytokines in the dynamics, that provided the Th2 type immune response. High clinicoimmunological efficacy of the complex therapy with cycloferon as an immunomodulator providing more balanced production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, INF-γ and IL-10) was shown.

Up-to-date conceptions of etiology and epidemiology of anogenital herpetic infection are described. The main mechanisms of immunological shifts in subjects with anogenital Herpes infection are discussed. The efficacy and safety of cycloferon in the combined treatment of patients with recurring anogenital herptic infection were estimated. The clinical efficacy of the combined therapy (acyclovir in a dose of 200 mg 5 times a day for 5 days + cycloferon liniment applied topically on the eruptions twice a day for 5 days) was 85% or 25% higher vs. the control.

The second part of the review concerned with investigation of nonribosomal peptides.

The analysis of the published experimental and clinical data on chemoprophylaxis and chemotherapy of rickettsiosis and Q fever confirmed the preserved role of doxycycline, the main drug of choice in the treatment of the diseases, then followed chloramphenicol. Macrolides, such as azithromycin and clarithromycin proved to be useful in pediatric practice and the treatment of pregnant women with rickettsiosis. The treatment of acute and chronic Q fever required the use of doxycycline, fluoroquinolobes, co-trimoxazole and hydroxachloroquine in combined therapy. It is concluded that in vivo studies of novel drugs and investigation of prospective macrolides and fluoroquinolones are necessary. Clinical trials of a new glycycline, i.e. tigecycline, which experimentally showed highy strong activity against the Q fever pathogen, should be accelerated.