Epidemic patterns of highly pathogenic avian influenza А/Н5N8 spread in the Russian Federation are demonstrated, history of the disease outbreak eradication in domestic poultry is described, basic reasons of the dangerous virus introduction on the commercial farms are analyzed and issues of the outbreak containment are highlighted. Specific properties of H5N8 disease progression and clinical manifestation are demonstrated against H5N1 disease. Data of epidemic investigations of the virus introduction to the closed-type farms are integrated. Basic attention is given to the destruction of poultry died and stamped out during implementation of anti-epidemic measures, and potential alternative ways of biological waste destruction are demonstrated. Principal risks of introduction of emerging influenza virus subtypes into the Russian Federation are determined. Further spread of avian influenza over the Russian territory is expected due to the current epidemic situation, the virus persistence in the vectors, maintenance of its viability in the environment and seasonal migrations of the wild birds.  Major threat of the agent introduction comes from the neighbouring East Asia and Far East countries (China, Japan, Korea). Herewith, introduction of potentially zoonotic viruses is also possible. Risk of the virus introduction from the European countries, Near East countries and Central Asia cannot be excluded. For now, drastic measures still remain the only tool for the disease control and the strategy of limited targeted AI vaccination in the backyards minimizes the virus introduction to the commercial farms located in the risk zones.

Analysis of literature on avian influenza (AI) virus transmission through incubation eggs and qualitative assessment of risk of incubation egg import to the Russian Federation in the contest of veterinary and sanitary measures against avian influenza currently in place for imported products are presented. Probability of low-pathogenic AI virus transmission through poultry incubation eggs due to possible contamination of the egg and package surfaces with the said agents is indicated. Probability of AI virus transmission through commercial eggs derived from quails, turkeys, geese, chickens is shown to be high. Evidence of actual vertical transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is limited, however, it is recognized that the infection manifests by systemic lesions in the organs (bursa, thymus, spleen, heart, pancreas, kidneys, brain, trachea, lungs, adrenals and skeletal muscles). It is noted that the virus can persist on bird feathers and in bird meat for a long period. In addition, high humidity, neutral pH level and low temperature are shown to be favourable conditions for the virus survival in the ambient environment. Incubation egg movement restrictive measures are considered the most adequate for prevention of the disease spread between holdings. It is underlined that no country can guarantee the absence of the risk of avian influenza occurrence in avifauna. Anti-AI measures for incubation egg importation recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health are considered adequate for prevention of international disease spread regardless of the virus pathogenicity.

Humoral immune response and ciliary activity of tracheal mucosa of poultry, vaccinated against infectious laryngotracheitis using ciliostatic test, was studied. Regardless of the vaccination route the vaccines decreased the ciliary activity by 5–9 % on Days 3 to 7 post vaccination. Herewith the vaccine ocular application in some chicks induced oneeye serous conjunctivitis, which resolved subsequently. Oral vaccination did not cause any clinical changes. Serological monitoring revealed an earlier and stronger immunity in poultry vaccinated by ocular route. The required seroprotection level in test groups was higher than the minimal value (80%) starting from Day 16 post vaccination. The period of immunity development after oral vaccination correlated with the vaccine dose volume. Moreover the domestic vaccine was highly competitive with foreign vaccines in immunogenicity and reactogenicity.

The paper presents results of body weight and basic measurements of black-motley breed calves born at the OOO “Priamurye” dairy complex in the Tambov Rayon, the Amur Oblast in 2017. The animals were selected using the analogous pair method taking into account their age, body weight and health status. Three groups of six-month old animals were formed: one control group and two experimental groups with 10 animals in each. The housing conditions were similar in all the groups. Based on the obtained data on the amount of nutrients consumed and excreted with feces, the digestibility coefficients of crude protein, crude fat, nitrogen-free extracts and crude fiber – animal feeding nutrients used at the farm – were determined. The calves in the control group were fed the basic diet adopted in the farm, the animals in the first experimental group were fed the basic diet with addition of normalized trace elements (iodine, cobalt and selenium) in mineral form, the animals in the second experimental group were given the same trace elements in organic form. The experiment lasted for 180 days. The investigation revealed that the highest body weight and daily average growth values were observed in the second experimental group. Similar results were obtained with regard to increasing nutrient digestibility coefficients. Thus, the positive effect of trace elements in organic form on growth and development of calves was proved.

Results of laboratory tests of pathological and biological material samples for lumpy skin disease virus genome with the FGBI “ARRIAH” lumpy skin disease real-time PCR test system are presented. Samples were collected from cattle in 16 regions of the Russian Federation in 2016–2017. A total of 848 stabilized blood, serum, skin (nodule) scrape, nasal washing samples were tested. In the process of antemortem diagnosis lumpy skin disease virus genome was detected in nasal washings (29.2%), serum (19.5%) and stabilized blood (24.4%). Lumpy skin disease virus genome was detected in skin lesion samples (77.7% of cases) during postmortem diagnosis. No lumpy skin disease virus genome was detected in trachea, spleen and aborted fetus samples. Thus, in case of lumpy skin disease suspicion serum and nasal washing samples shall be tested first for antemortem diagnosis, while nodules (lumps) shall be primarily tested for postmortem diagnosis.

The study data of the efficacy of thionontrite-S-complex preparation in the prevention of metabolic liver disease of cattle are presented. Administration of the preparation to 6–7-month-old cows in dry period for two weeks at a dose of 0.3 g/kg of body weight corrects biochemical homeostasis and prevents the development of pathogenetic shifts during metabolic liver disease. Disease symptoms faded on Day 12–14, preventive efficacy was 90%. In the control group 55% of cows demonstrated the disease symptoms. The use of thiononitrite-S promoted an increase in the protein-synthesizing function of the liver; in particular, an increase in the level of total protein was 8.8% against the baseline indicators in the experimental group. The increase in glucose level with respect to baseline indicators in the experimental group was 26.6%, in the control group this parameter decreased by 6.7%. The preparation restored functional and barrier properties of the liver, normalized the enzyme-forming function. At the end of the experiment the level of alanine aminotransferase in the first group was 1.8 times
less than the control levels, the level of aspartate aminotransferase was 1.6 times lower than the negative control levels. The positive effect of thionontrite-S was also observed with regard to pigment metabolism; the concentration of total bilirubin in the experimental group was within physiological limits (4.28 ± 0.55 µM/l), whereas in the control group hyperbilirubinemia was 1.6 times higher than the upper limit of normal. Improvement of biochemical parameters in the experimental group correlated with a decrease in the level of medium-mass molecules and peroxidation products of unsaturated fatty acids. The decrease in the level of average weight molecules in experimental cows at a wavelength λ = 254 nm was 8.3% and at a wavelength λ = 280 nm – 10%. In the experimental group, the level of diene conjugates decreased by 14.3% with regard to baseline indicators, ketodienes – by 26.3%, malondialdehyde – by 8.9% and fluorescent Schiff bases – by 18.2%.

Today studies of the influence of interferon synthesis inducer on human and animal body is a topical issue. Interferon synthesis inducers are substances of natural or artificial origin stimulating production of body’s own interferon. One of the synthetic inducers of interferon is Poludanum. It is used for stimulation of cell immunity which is capable of preventing infection and disease development and has antiviral and immunomodulatory effect. Poludanum mainly stimulates induction of α-interferon and, to a lesser extent, β- and γ-interferon in cells and tissues which prevent virus reproduction in a cell. The paper presents results of poludanum’s influence on reproduction of some porcine viruses in primary and continuous cell cultures by induction of interferon synthesis and other cytokines lowering the level of cell infection. As a result of performed tests it was found out that there is a link between introduction of interferon inducer and change in the PRRS, TGE, ASF virus reproduction. There was detected a high level of Poludanum’s interferon inducing activity in pig testicular primary cell cultures and spleen compared to the continuous pig embryo kidney (SPEV) and rhesus monkey kidney (MARC-145) cell lines. Poludanum’s interferon inducing activity was moderate for MARC-145 cells and it was not determined for SPEV.

Retrospective analysis of laboratory diagnostics carried out in Russia for dangerous viral swine diseases demonstrated that during the last seven years (the period when the Rosselkhoznadzor orders to implement National Monitoring Plans were executed) the amount of performed tests had increased. But it is not always possible to read the test results unambiguously and that requires the improvement of diagnostic practices supported by established rules of sampling, laboratory tests and obtained result submission. It means random tests shall be representative for tested populations, correlate with the prevalence of concerned infection and meet the required certainty. It  is also needed to establish the techniques of primary and confirmation tests, regulate the use of test kits (validated) preferring the use of the most effective and cheapest. Appropriately planned and implemented surveillance activities (including national monitoring) will contribute to minimization of financial expenses and improve their effectiveness at the same time.

The paper presents the results of adaptation of FMDV Type O isolates obtained from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency to pig cell cultures and organisms as well as studies of their infectivity, antigenic activity as well as stability during passages in the PSGK continuous cell culture. Antigenic matching of FMDV Type O isolates, 2014-2015, obtained from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency of the Republic of Korea, with Russian and foreign FMDV Type O production strains was studied. Special attention was given to determination of the inoculation dose for virus cultivation in PSGK-30 for the purpose of subsequent preparation of antigenic preparations and FMD vaccines. The results of strain studies served a basis for their depositing into the FGBI “ARRIAH” strain collection.

The raw material for blood protein hydrolysate preparation is whole animal blood, its clots and other serum production wastes. The dependence of  ВНК-21/2-17 cell lineage productivity on the season of hydrolysate raw material preparation was observed. Cell growth stimulated by blood protein hydrolysate from raw material prepared in summer months 1.2–1.3 times exceeded cell growth stimulated by blood protein hydrolysate prepared in autumn-winter period (differences are significant, p < 0,001). The amount of FMDV immunogenic components from “summer” blood protein hydrolysate 1.3–1.6 exceeded the amount obtained during other seasons of the year (differences are significant, p < 0,001). There was found a direct correlation between BHK-21/2-17 cell lineage productivity, concentration of FMDV immunogenic components and seasonal dynamics of the contents of the following amino acids composing blood protein hydrolysates: alanin, asparagine, valine, histidine, glycine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, proline, serine, tyrosine, threonine, tryptophane, and phenylalanine. To increase BHK-21/2-17 cell lineage productivity and concentration of FMDV immunogenic components it was suggested to add some additional amino acids into the culture growth medium for suspension cell culture in autumn-summer period together with blood protein hydrolysate

Data on assessment of lecithin preparation effect on liver toxicity experimentally induced in laboratory animals are presented. Experiments were carried out in rats kept under similar conditions that had been subjected to quarantine in animal facilities and demonstrated no apparent disease manifestations. The animals were divided into groups based on paired counterparts’ principle. Acute toxic damage of liver was induced by single administration of carbon tetrachloride (0.3 mg/kg of body weight). The rats demonstrated the following apparent signs of intoxication on day 2 after administration: anorexia, depression, dyspnea, fever.Per os administration of rape lecithin at a dose of 1 ml/kg of body weight one hour before hepatotoxicant administration and then daily for subsequent 30 days reduces intoxication manifestations and improves survivability of the rats. Pharmacological effect of lecithin includes biochemical characteristics improvement and functional state of liver of laboratory animals with experimentally induced acute hepatitis. Obtained data may provide grounds for application of lecithins as hepatoprotectors of natural origin in the form of biologically active supplements or active ingredients of pharmaceuticals intended for hepatic disease treatment in animals.