Structure of the Institute ->
Scientific Anti-epidemic Divisions
Department of plague microbiology
The Head - Balakhonov Sergei Vladimirovich, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor
Tel: (3952) 22-01-35;
Fax: (3952) 22-01-40;
Е-mail: adm@chumin.irkutsk.ru
The basic directions of research studies:
- Studying of ecology, genetic and phenetic variability of Yersinia pestis strains from the Central Asian natural plague foci;
- Microbiological monitoring of Y. pestis strains isolated in Tuva and Gorno-Altaic natural plague foci;
- Development and improvement of laboratory diagnostics methods of plague and other infectious diseases;
- Development and examination of new molecular genetic methods and means for diagnostics of especially dangerous infectious diseases in stationary and mobile laboratories. Identification and studying of bacterial strains belonging to III-IV pathogenicity groups (causative agents of pseudotuberculosis, listeriosis, erysipelloides, pasteurellosis, salmonellosis, shigellosis, escherichiosis, leptospirosis, etc.).
Practical opportunities:
- PCR-diagnostics of various infectious pathogens and first of all, causative agents of especially dangerous infections (plague, cholera, brucellosis, tularemia, anthrax);
- Realization of laboratory diagnostics in extreme anti-epidemic actions connected with revealing of patients or suspected plague persons;
- Monitoring of a plasmid content of enterobacterial strains isolated at human sporadic cases and outbreaks;
- Advisory methodical and practical assistance to State Antiplague Establishments and Federal Departments and Centers of Public Health;
- Participation in carrying out of specialization and training courses for doctors-epidemiologists and bacteriologists on the problems of especially dangerous infections.
Branch of the Center of Genic Diagnostics of Especially Dangerous Infectious Diseases
The Branch of the Center of Genic Diagnostics of Especially Dangerous Infectious Diseases at Russian Public Health Ministry functions since 1998 on the basis of the Department of Plague Microbiology. S. V. Balakhonov, the Head of the Department of Plague Microbiology, manages and organizes the activities of the Branch.
The basic functions of the Branch:
- Participation in development and testing of new molecular genetic methods and means for diagnostics of especially dangerous infectious diseases in stationary and mobile laboratories;
- Carrying out genetic diagnostic investigations on indication of microorganisms of I-II pathogenicity groups from environmental objects and in a biological material;
- Carrying out the emergency genetic diagnostics of human diseases caused by the especially dangerous infectious agents in accordance with the epidemiological indications;
- Maintenance of an uniform computer database about development and use of polymerase chain reaction and other molecular genetic diagnostic methods in Russia;
- Rendering of advisory, methodical and practical assistance to laboratories of Antiplague Institutions and Federal State Establishments of Public Health on practical introduction of genetic diagnostic analyses and test-systems.
