Problems of Virology
International peer-reviewed scientific and practical journal "Problems of Virology" (Russian title “Voprosy virusologii”, ISSN (Print) 0507-4088, ISSN (Online) 2411-2097) acquaints readers with the achievements of Russian and international virology, publishes articles on the study of viruses and viral diseases of humans, animals and plants. A prominent place in the journal is given to the publication of the results of experimental studies on various fields in fundamental and applied virology.
The journal publishes materials that contribute to the implementation in practice of the achievements of virological science in eliminating and reducing the prevalence of infectious diseases, as well as its diagnosis, prevention and treatment.
The review articles summarize the latest advances in virology. In order to attract the attention of virologists to the most actual issues requiring further study, the journal publishes editorial notes and book reviews. The reader will find in the journal a description of new research methods, new equipment, diagnostic and treatment tools.
The journal is intended for virologists (medical and veterinary), epidemiologists, parasitologists, pharmacologists, biochemists and other specialists.
«Problems of Virology» is an open access journal that does not charge for the publication of scientific articles.
The journal is presented in SCOPUS database (Q4).
The journal is included in the recommended by the Higher Attestation Commission "List of peer-reviewed scientific publications in which the main scientific results of dissertations for the doctoral degree (PhD), for the degree of doctor of science should be published" (in accordance with paragraph 5 of the Rules for the formation of the List, as part of the international abstract database and citation systems Scopus) in the following specialties:
- 02.02 Epidemiology (medical and biological sciences)
- 01.09 Infectious diseases
- 03.07 Chemotherapy and antibiotics
- 02.02 Virology (medical and biological sciences)
- 02.03 Microbiology (medical and biological sciences)
The journal is presented in the following international bibliographic databases and information and reference systems: RSCI (on the platform WoS), Abstract Journals, AIDS & Cancer Research, Biocontrol News and Information, Biological Sciences, Chemical Abstracts, EBSCOhost Biological Abstracts, EBSCOhost Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide, Elsevier BV Scopus, Elsevier BV EMBASE, Index Medicus, Excerpta Medica, Index Veterinarius, MEDLINE, National Library of Medicine PubMed, Parasitology Database, Poultry Abstracts, Review of Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Thomson Reuters Biological Abstracts, Thomson Reuters BIOSIS Previews, Thomson Reuters Science Citation Index Expanded, Thomson Reuters Web of Science, Tropical Diseases Bulletin, Veterinary Science Database, Virology and AIDS Abstracts, ROAD, DOAJ.
Content is available under license Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International, CC-BY.
Each article published in the journal is assigned a digital object identifier (DOI).
All articles, reviews and lectures published in the journal undergo mandatory double-blind peer review by members of the editorial board and invited experts.
Articles by foreign authors, as well as Russian-language articles separately recommended by the editorial board, are published in Russian and English under a single DOI. Native-language translation and its scientific editing is carried out at the expense of the Editorial Board.
The journal is registered with the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications. Certificate PI No. FS77-77676.
The journal is published once every 2 months (6 issues per year).
The journal is a printed edition of the All-Russian public organization “The All-Russian Scientific and Practical Society of Epidemiologists, Microbiologists and Parasitologists”.
Founders:
- FBIS Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare,
- All-Russian public organization "All-Russian Scientific and Practical Society of Epidemiologists, Microbiologists and Parasitologists".
Publisher:
- FBIS Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare.
When registering on the journal’s website readers and authors receive automatic notifications about the content of new issues of the Journal to their email address with the ability to unsubscribe from the newsletter.
Current Issue
Vol 70, No 3 (2025)
- Year: 2025
- Published: 21.07.2025
- Articles: 8
- URL: https://virusjour.crie.ru/jour/issue/view/140
Full Issue
REVIEWS
Combination drug therapy as a strategy to improve the efficacy and safety of treatment of herpes simplex virus infections: potential risks and prospects
Abstract
Herpes simplex viruses (HSV) are extremely widespread pathogens that cause human infections of varying severity, from mild orofacial ulcerations of the skin and mucous membranes to life-threatening encephalitis and severe generalized forms of infection or recurrent herpetic corneal lesions leading to blindness. Standard treatment with acyclovir, penciclovir, or the corresponding prodrugs valacyclovir and famciclovir is usually sufficient to stop recurrent HSV infections. However, immunocompromised patients are of particular concern and often require long-term antiviral therapy. In such conditions, the risk of developing drug resistance, often cross-resistance increases significantly, since all basic antiherpetic drugs have a similar mechanism of action and affect the same drug target – viral DNA polymerase (DNA-pol). With the development of drug resistance, the effectiveness of treatment decreases, and it becomes necessary to switch to second-line drugs with severe side effects. Thus, it is necessary to develop new alternative treatment options. The creation of drugs aimed at a biotarget different from DNA-pol eliminates the risk of cross-resistance to acyclovir and related drugs, and their use in combination with traditional antiherpetic drugs can prevent or slow down the development of drug resistance in the virus. When combining drugs that affect the pathogen in different ways, it is important to maintain the therapeutic effect with the use of lower doses due to the synergistic nature of the interaction, which reduces the likelihood of developing unwanted side effects of drugs. The review presents current data on the state and possible prospects for the development of combination therapy for HSV infections, obtained as a result of searching the literature related to anti-herpetical therapy using the PubMed, Medline databases, RSCI, the international registry of clinical trials of the US National Institutes of Health.
205-216
Bombali virus (Filoviridae: Orthoebolavirus: Orthoebolavirus bombaliense)
Abstract
Introduction. Members of genus Orthoebolavirus of family Filoviridae cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans with high fatality rates (up to 90%). The first outbreaks of disease caused by the members of genus Orthoebolavirus were registered in 1976 in Zaire and Sudan. The outbreaks of disease caused by the members of genus Orthoebolavirus occur regularly in Africa. The largest outbreak (for all history of monitoring) happened in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra-Leone in 2013–2016. During this outbreak, the cases of disease importation in non-endemic regions were registered. The foci of circulation of the members of genus Orthoebolavirus (with exception for Reston virus) are situated in moist tropical forests of Central and West Africa. The bats are natural reservoirs for filoviruses, the genomic RNA sequences of the members of genus Orthoebolavirus were isolated from various bat species (Hypsignathus monstrosus, Epomops franqueti, Myonycteris tarquata). Recently, the new members of Filoviridae family were isolated from several bat species.
Aims. The purpose of the presented article is analysis of the properties of the new member of genus Orthoebolavirus of family Filoviridae – Bombali virus (Orthoebolavirus bombaliense).
Material and methods. The paper presents analysis of data published in English language scientific publications in citation databases RSCI, PubMed.The research method is analytical. The literature for the period from 2005 to 2023 was analyzed.
Results. Bombali virus was first isolated in Guinea in August 2018 from bats Mops condylurus. When comparing the concentration of the Bombali virus in the organs of infected bats, the highest level of accumulation was detected in the lungs which indirectly indicates the possibility of aerosol infection of Mops condylurus. Later RNA of Bombali virus was identified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in bats Chaerephon pumilus in Sierra-Leone, but not in other species of fruit-eating and insectivores bats. Nucleotide sequence of genomic RNA of Bombali virus from samples collected in Guinea had 99.3% homology to that from samples collected in Sierra-Leone, and 98.3% homology to that from samples collected in Kenya. Considering that bats Mops condylurus as many other species of insectivores bats cannot travel long distances, this is indirect evidence for the wide distribution of the Bombali virus on the African continent. Despite the fact that cases of human disease caused by Bombali virus have not been identified to date, glycoprotein of this virus (as glycoprotein of filoviruses pathogenic for humans) has affinity to the C1 receptor of Neumann–Pieck protein of human cells.
Conclusion. The study of the molecular biological characteristics of the Bombali virus, as well as other recently discovered new representatives of family Filoviridae can give valuable information for identification of molecular markers of pathogenicity for humans.
217-223
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Analysis of genetic polymorphisms and drug resistance mutations in the NS5 region of HCV genome (Flasuviricetes: Amarillovirales: Flaviviridae: Hepacivirus C) in samples obtained in 2022–2023 from HIV-infected treatment-naive residents of Altai Krai
Abstract
Introduction. Altai Krai is a region with an unfavorable situation of HIV-1 and HCV infection, as well as HIV-1 and HCV coinfection. Due to this, it is necessary to study the HCV genetic variants and their drug resistance (DR) to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in patients with HIV-1 and HCV coinfection.
Aim of the study. The analysis of HCV genome fragments encoding NS5A and NS5B proteins in samples obtained from treatment-naïve residents of Altai Krai with newly diagnosed HIV and HCV co-infection to determine the genetic variant of HCV and genetic features of the virus associated with its sensitivity to NS5A and NS5B inhibitors.
Materials and methods. Blood plasma samples (n = 286) collected in 2022–2023 from HIV-infected individuals were analyzed for HCV markers. The HCV RNA concentration was measured, nucleotide sequences of NS5A and NS5B and Core (for HCV 2k/1b samples) fragments were obtained, the subtype was determined, and DR and polymorphic positions were analyzed.
Results. Antibodies to HCV were detected in 94/286 (32.86%) samples, sequences were obtained from 52 samples. Subtypes 3a, 1b, recombinant form 2k/1b and subtype 1a were found in 28 (53.85%), 17 (32.69%), 5 (9.62%) and one (1.92%) samples, respectively. One sample harbored HCV 1b + 3a mix-infection. Reduced sensitivity (5.66%) and complete resistance (9.43%) to the NS5A inhibitor daclatasvir were most often detected. Certain gene polymorphisms were identified in the sequences.
Conclusion. Our results may indirectly indicate the increasing proportion of the HCV subtype 3a in the hepatitis C epidemic in the Altai Territory. Our data on DR and polymorphisms should be taken into account in antiviral therapy of patients.
224-233
Epidemic season 2023–2024: the palette of ARVI pathogens in some territories of the Russian Federation and WHO regions
Abstract
The purpose of this work was to determine the characteristics of the circulation of acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI) pathogens during the epidemic season of 2023–2024 in the WHO regions and Russian Federation.
Materials and methods. The article uses virological, immunological, and statistical methods, analytical material from the WHO website, to assess the circulation of ARVI pathogens in the Russian Federation and WHO regions.
Results and discussion. The detection rate of positive samples in clinical materials was as follows: influenza viruses – 7.7%, ARVI – 17.1% and SARS-CoV-2 – 6.5%. According to antigenic and molecular genetic properties, the population of the dominant subtype of the influenza A(H3N2) virus was heterogeneous and differed from the vaccine strain. The favorable sensitivity profile of epidemic strains to drugs with antineuraminidase activity (oseltamivir and zanamivir) and cap-dependent endonuclease inhibitor (baloxavir marboxil) was preserved. There was a tendency to increase the activity of respiratory pathogens such as HPIV, HAdV, HRsV, HRV, HCoV and HMPV. WHO experts have developed recommendations on the composition of influenza vaccines for the countries of the Northern and the Southern hemispheres with the replacement of the component of the influenza A(H3N2) virus: A/Darwin/9/2021 with A/Thailand/8/2022 and А/Croatia/13601RV/2023 accordingly. Cases of human infection with avian and swine influenza viruses continue to be registered.
Conclusion. Against the background of a relatively low circulation of new SARS-CoV-2 variants in the 2023-2024 season, epidemic activity of influenza viruses was recorded in the countries of the Northern hemisphere at the traditional time. Globally, its onset was associated with the influenza A(H3N2) virus, followed by an increase in the activity of the influenza A(H1N1) pdm09 virus and influenza B. As in previous seasons, differences in the proportion of influenza viruses in WHO regions, including cities of the Russian Federation, were traced.
234-245
Ultrastructural organization and reproduction of virions in Vero (E6) cells in influenza A/H1N1 pmd09 virus monoinfection and coinfection with SARS-CoV-2 (Delta and Omicron strains)
Abstract
Introduction. RNA-containing viruses, especially influenza viruses, are of high epidemiological significance. The manifestation of COVID-19 has led to the registration of coinfection cases, the pathogenesis of which is poorly studied. The Vero (E6) cell line is widely used to study the morphogenesis of various viruses, including influenza and coronavirus.
The aim of the work is to study the ultrastructure of Vero (E6) cells and the reproduction of viral particles during monoinfection with the influenza A virus and coinfection of this virus with two SARS-CoV-2 genovariants in dynamics 6, 18 and 24 hours after inoculation.
Materials and methods. The Vero (E6) cell line model was used for in vitro study of the viral infection effects and an analysis of the dynamics of changes in the number of intracellular viral particles. The study involved 4 experimental groups: Vero (E6) cells mono-infected with the influenza virus strain A/H1N1 pmd09 at a dose of 0.1 MOI; Vero (E6) cells co-infected with the influenza virus strain A/H1N1 pmd09 and Delta strain of SARS-CoV-2 at a total dose of 0.1 MOI; Vero (E6) cells co-infected with the influenza virus strain A/H1N1 pmd09 and Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2 at a total dose of 0.1 MOI. In each study group, cells were monitored at time points of 6, 18, and 24 hours.
Results. After 6 h, no pathological structures were detected in all groups, except for virus-containing transport vesicles. After 18 h, vacuolization of the ER of varying degree was noted in all the studied groups. After 24 h, ultrastructural changes, namely vacuolization of organelles and/or compaction of the cytoplasm, were encountered in all groups comparatively more frequently than at 6 h and 18 h time points. . The dynamics of the number of viral particles increased significantly by 24 h time point in the monoinfection group. However, none of the coinfection groups demonstrated a tendency for the number of viral particles to change, since no statistically significant differences were found between the 6 h, 18 h, and 24 h stages.
Conclusion. The results obtained suggested that the interaction between A/H1N1 pmd09 and SARS-CoV-2 viruses contributed to an overall decrease in the formation of new virions in Vero (E6) cells in both cases of coinfection.
246-253
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the etiology and severity of respiratory viral infections in children
Abstract
Objective. To analyze the age-related characteristics of the contribution of influenza viruses, RSV, SARS-CoV-2, other pathogens to the development of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) in children with an assessment of the disease severity depending on its etiology and epidemic period.
Materials and methods. SARI monitoring was carried out over six consecutive epidemic seasons, starting from 2018–2019 in 9 infectious hospitals of three cities of Russia with an assessment of the disease severity depending on its etiology.
Results. Among all hospitalized children, the proportion of children hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza from 2018 to 2020 ranged from 25.7% to 44.7%, and for RSV infection from 25.7% to 26.8%. However, during the peak of the pandemic, these rates dropped significantly to 0.3% and 1.7%, respectively. In the subsequent three seasons (2021–2024), laboratory-confirmed influenza among hospitalized children was registered in 4.5–20.2% of cases, while RSV infection was identified in 13.4–24.1% of cases, accompanied by a shift in viral subgroups. RSV infections were most severe during the 2022–2023 season, presenting in some cases with hyperthermia, hypoxia, dyspnea, and altered consciousness. Among hospitalized children, the proportion with COVID-19 was relatively low in 2020–2021 (0.8–2.4%) but increased significantly to 10.6%–13.6% following the emergence of the Omicron variant in 2022, before decreasing again in subsequent years. The main genetic lineages of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in the Russian Federation are presented.
Conclusion. Influenza and RSV viruses were predominant among viral pathogens identified in hospitalized children aged ≤ 2 years. COVID-19 cases among children were relatively rare and generally less severe compared to RSV and rhinovirus infections.
254-266
Identification of human genes potentially involved in the pathogenesis of viral hepatitis C based on multi-network bioinformatics analysis
Abstract
Aim. The aim of this study was to search for human genes potentially involved in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C by multi-network bioinformatics linkage analysis of proteins involved in the stages of hepatitis C virus (HСV) attachment and entry.
Materials and methods. A number of web applications with complementary algorithms and databases were used to analyze genetic and protein-protein networks. The following genes were used as basic genes: CD81, CLDN1, LDLR, OCLN, SCARB1, the products of which are involved in interaction with viral glycoproteins E1 and E2 at the stage of HCV attachment and penetration into the cell. Data analysis was performed, including a two-stage scoring ranking of the identified candidate genes based on their interaction with basic genes and their presence in the results of network analysis of different web resources.
Results. Candidate genes were initially identified using three web resources: HumanNet – 100 candidate genes, GeneMania – 20, STRING – 98. Based on the intersection of the three web resources, the total number of candidate genes associated with basic genes was 170. The total number of genes with a rank higher than 4 points was 35. Candidate genes were grouped into functional sets: cellular barriers and intercellular contacts (17 genes, 48.6%); lipid metabolism and lipoproteins (9 genes, 25.7%); immune response and interaction with the virus (5 genes, 14.3%); signaling pathways, proteolysis and cytoskeleton (4 genes, 11.4%). The following candidate genes potentially involved in the pathogenesis of HCV have been identified: APOA1, CLDN3, APOE, LIPC, LRPAP1, CSNK1E, APOB, CD19, CLDN6, CLDN9, ESAM, F11R, IFITM1, LDLRAP1, PCSK9, TJP1, CD9, CLDN11, CLDN17, CLDN2, CLDN5, IGSF8, MMP2, PDZK1, ADAM10, APOA2, C3, CLDN12, DAB1, GJB1, ITGB1, MYLIP, NEDD4L, PTGFRN.
Conclusion. In the future, a detailed study of the functional features and polymorphic variants of the identified genes using bioinformatics and laboratory methods can significantly expand current understanding of the involvement of human genes in the development of HCV infection and discover new targets for the development of drugs and therapeutic strategies.
267-281
Recombinant VP1 protein of norovirus GII.4 (Caliciviridae: Norovirus) is capable to induse the production of cross-reacting antibodies
Abstract
Introduction. Norovirus (NoV) is one of the main causes of acute gastroenteritis. Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent norovirus infection. Vaccines under development are based on the capsid protein VP1, which is capable of forming virus-like particles.
The aim of the work was to analyze the immunogenic properties of the recombinant VP1 protein of NoV GII.4.
Materials and methods. In the blood serum of animals immunized with the recombinant VP1 protein obtained by the authors, titers and avidity of total antibodies and IgM antibodies against NoV VP1 were determined using enzyme immunoassay. The ability of the obtained antibodies to interact with NoV of different genotypes was assessed using immunoelectron microscopy.
Results. The recombinant VP1 protein induced high titer antibody production in animals. Total antibodies against VP1 had a high avidity, reaching 100%, which suggests that they have viral neutralizing activity. IgM antibodies had low avidity. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that IgG antibodies against VP1 protein of genotype GII.4 interact with wild-type NoV of genotype GII.7 and GII.17.
Conclusion. The obtained recombinant protein induces a sufficiently strong immune response with the formation of high avidity polyclonal cross-reacting antibodies, which allows us to consider it as an antigen component of a NoV vaccine candidate.
282-290
СМИ зарегистрировано Федеральной службой по надзору в сфере связи, информационных технологий и массовых коммуникаций (Роскомнадзор). Регистрационный номер и дата принятия решения о регистрации СМИ: серия ПИ № ФС77-77676 от 29.01.2020.