Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are considered as a reservoir of mobile genetic elements and first of all of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), defining staphylococci resistance to beta-lactams. Types II, IV, IVa, V, VII and VIII SCCmec were detected among 95 staphylococcal strains isolated in different regions of the Russian Federation. Subtypes Cla, Clb, Clc and Cl SCCmec were also identified (class B mec complex and two complexes of ccrl and ccr2 genes recombinases). Some other cassette types carrying A, C1 and C2 classes of the mec complexes in combination with various recombinase genes were detected. The S.epidermidis isolates mainly formed cassettes carrying mec complex B, while the S.haemolyticus isolates had cassettes carrying classes C1 and C2 mec complex. Out of 9 isolates of S.hominis 5 isolates carried a new type cassette: class A mec complex in combination with the complex of the recombinase ccrl genes. SCCmec was not identified in S.capitis and S.pasteuri. Their representatives carried either mec complex (1 isolate of S.pasteuri) or the recombinase complexes (2 isolates of S.capitis). The detected SCCmec variants in CoNS could be a source of emergence of new genetic lines of MRSA.

The comparative study of the therapeutic efficacy of Triazavirin against experimental Forest-Spring encephalitis on albino mice vs. the active drug Ribavirin® showed that in high doses (200-400 mg/kg) Triazavirin moderately protected the infected animals. A significant increase of the animal lifespan in the test groups (from 4.1 to 4.8 days) and a statistically (p<0.05) valid decrease of the virus accumulation in the target organ (the brain) were observed.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris metabolites showed a high potential in the treatment of tumors as well as some other diseases. Antitumor properties of O.sinensis and C.militaris submerged mycelium were investigated. It was found that the O.sinensis dry biomass in a dose of 50 mg/kg administered once a day to the mice with subcutaneously inoculated P388 lymp-holeucosis lowered the tumor growth by 65% vs. 54% for the C.militaris dry biomass. The water extract of O.sinensis submerged culture however accelerated the growth of the Р388 lympholeucosis tumor node in the mice almost two times, compared to the control. A greater caution in using this fungus as a source of biologically active substances is required since unwanted tumor-stimulating effects can arise.

The study was aimed at possible increase of the therapy efficacy in patients with advanced tuberculosis by including immunomodulators to the treatment schemes. The data concerning 6034 patients with advanced tuberculosis, mainly fibrocavernous tuberculosis of the lungs, were analysed. Four groups of the patients were randomized. In group 1 the management of the patients included etiotropic therapy and some treatment and rehabilitation measures with the use of Cycloferon. The group 2 patients in addition to the etiotropic therapy and some treatment and rehabilitation measures were given Omega-3. In group 3 the management included the etiotropic therapy and some treatment and rehabilitation measures. In group 4 the etioropic therapy was used alone. The analysis showed that 3419 patients had primary pulmonary tuberculosis, 340 patients had relapsing tuberculosis and 2275 patients had long-term process. The etiotropic therapy efficacy was estimated after an intensive phase of not more than 3 months. In the cases with Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance and some other unfavourable factors it was estimated after a 5-month intensive phase. The results confirmed that inclusion of immunomodulators to the treatment schemes allowed to increase the therapy efficacy and the patients' adherence to the treatment, as well as to shorten the period of the bacteria carriage. Thus, the use of Cycloferon in the schemes of the treatment of the patients with fibrocavernous pulmonary tuberculosis allowed to shorten the period of the pathogen carriage (as well as the drug resistant forms) in 94.1+3.33% of the patients in spite of concomitant diseases. The effect of Cycloferon in such cases was likely due to both its direct immunoprotective action and the improvement of the general state of the patients and their higher adherence to the treatment.

The data on the pharmacoeconomic research of the use of Remaxol in treatment of drug-associated liver injury due to the chemotherapy in cancer patients are presented. The costs-efficiency method was applied to two groups of the patients with drug-associated liver injury treated according to different schemes. The research showed economical benefits of the Remaxol use.

Many diverse methods for selective isolation of actinomycetes are used in discovery of organisms producing biologically active substances, as well as in ecological studies. Methods for isolation of rare actinomycetes from soil are reviewed.

Due to extensive distribution of pathogen resistance to available pharmaceuticals and serious problems in the treatment of various infections and tumor diseases, the necessity of new antibiotics is urgent. The basic methodological approaches to chemical synthesis of antibiotics and screening of new antibiotics among natural products, mainly among microbial secondary metabolites, are considered in the review. Since the natural compounds are very much diverse, screening of such substances gives a good opportunity to discover antibiotics of various chemical structure and mechanism of action. Such an approach followed by chemical or biological transformation, is capable of providing the health care with new effective pharmaceuticals. The review is mainly concentrated on screening of natural products and methodological problems, such as: isolation of microbial producers from the habitats, cultivation of microorganisms producing appropriate substances, isolation and chemical characterization of microbial metabolites, identification of the biological activity of the metabolites. The main attention is paid to the problems of microbial secondary metabolism and design of new models for screening biologically active compounds. The last achievements in the field of antibiotics and most perspective approaches to future investigations are discussed. The main methodological approach to isolation and cultivation of the producers remains actual and needs constant improvement. The increase of the screening efficiency can be achieved by more rapid chemical identification of antibiotics and design of new screening models based on the biological activity detection.

Review represents data on new active metabolites isolated from marine actinomycetes published in 2007 to 2014. Marine actinomycetes are an unlimited source of novel secondary metabolites with various biological activities.Among them there are antibiotics, anticancer compounds, inhibitors of biochemical processes.