About Institute

The Rostov-on-Don Antiplague Institute was established by Order of the Authorized Council of Labor and Defense dated from June 5th, 1934 No. 1.
The main directions of the Institute work from the moment of its foundation to the present times are the improvement of epidemiological surveillance of specially dangerous and other natural-focal infectious, the laboratory diagnostics and disease prevention, as well as biological safety and counteraction to bioterrorism.
During 1934 – 1940, epizootological examinations of natural foci of dangerous infections in the North-Western Caspian region, performed original studies on epizootology, epidemiology, pathogenesis and immunogenesis of plague and tularemia were conducted in the institute. Nine employees of the institute were awarded the Stalin Prize for plague elimination on the territory of the North-Western Caspian.
During the hard years of the Great Patriotic War, the institute makes a great contribution into elimination of vast epidemic outbreaks of tularemia and cholera in Rostov, Stalingrad (Volgograd nowadays) and Astrakhan regions.
Creation of live tularemia vaccine on the basis of the institute and its introduction into practice were a world-class accomplishment. In 1950th conducted studies allowed to reduce tularemia incidence in the country significantly, due to introduction of mass vaccination of the population.
Since 1960, the Institute began active fundamental research in the field of biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology of plague pathogens and other highly infectious diseases.
The Institute’s specialists performed a wide range of studies to evaluate the effectiveness of emerging antibacterial drugs, to study their effects, and to develop methods for detecting the antibiotic sensitivity; to create a live antibiotic-resistant anti-plague vaccine.
When performing a number of works on the elucidation of the mechanisms of pathogenesis and immunogenesis of highly infectious diseases, improving of non-specific and specific prophylaxis and on studying of methods, which helps to correct post-vaccination immunodeficiency states, some important results were obtained.
The Institute’s specialists proposed the idea to create and to formulate the main tasks to the specialized mobile antiepidemic group of workers (СПЭБ), which are used in daily practical activities of all institutions of the antiplague system. Since 1965, the institute’s employees as members of СПЭБ and selected mobile groups carried out more than 60 trips, according to epidemiological indications, to various regions of The USSR and Russia. They took part in elimination of plague and cholera outbreaks in China, Mongolia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Somalia and India. Keeping constant operational preparedness of СПЭБ for organization and implementation of measures to ensure sanitary and epidemiological wellfare of the population during emergencies (natural and technogenic origin, acts of bioterrorism, etc.) is the main goal of СПЭБ today.
Since 1967, the Institute has been working on the issues of Public Health measures of the territory. At the institute, a concept to improve planning interventions and the antiepidemic preparedness of health facilities was developed and sanitary and quarantine measures were improved. This work resulted the development of a new version of “Rules for the Public Health measures of the Territory of the USSR”. The Institute’s staff published the Handbook-Cadastre: «Global spread of infectious diseases requiring implementation of measures on Sanitary Protection of the territory of the Russian Federation».
Since 1971, the institute has been a leading research institute in the Cholera problem. The institute was tasked with coordinating research on the creation of effective means and methods of diagnosis, treatment, specific and non-specific prophylaxis, as well as providing of epidemiological surveillance for cholera. The institute’s specialists conducted zone division of the Russian Federation according to the types of epidemic manifestations of cholera. The staff of the Institute developed domestic pharmaceutical drug for oral rehydration therapy of cholera “Glucosolan”, which was recognized as a major achievement of medicine of the XXth century.
The results of the study and materials on the fight against cholera in the country were summarized in the monographs “Cholera in the USSR during the Seventh Pandemic”, “Cholera in Dagestan”, “Actual problems of cholera”, “The mechanism and the variation range of Vibrio cholerae.”
In recognition of organizing the fight against the highly infectious diseases in 1984, the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Rostov-on-Don antiplague Institute was awarded with the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
The Rostov-on-Don Institute approached the 85th anniversary with a rich legacy of older generations of scientists, a strong and effective team of already matured scientists and the firm intention of young employees to be a worthy change for them in the fight for the epidemiological welfare of the country in relation to especially dangerous microbial agents of the world. The Institute has the scientific potential for systematic work on implementation of epidemiological, epizootological, ecological and microbiological studies to further solution of the important issues on improving the epidemiological surveillance of infectious diseases.
The main research areas of the institute’s specialists, which serves in the reference center for monitoring cholera, are: monitoring, assessment and forecasting of the epidemiological situation of cholera in the world and in Russia, taking into account emergencies of various origins; providing normative, methodological and advisory support (in accordance with the level of development of scientific knowledge and current requirements), as well as practical assistance to such institutions as Rospotrebnadzor (The Federal Service for surveillance in the sphere of Consumer Right’s protection and Human Wellfare) and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation in organization and conduction of laboratory diagnosis of cholera. Ecologists of the Institute carry out an experimental assessment of the role of environmental factors in adaptation and persistence of Vibrio cholerae.
As part of the work of the Center for the Indication of Pathogens of Infectious Diseases of the I-II Groups of Pathogenicity and Antiepidemic Preparedness, an analysis and prediction of the actual state of the biocenotic structure and parasitic systems of the natural foci of tularemia, as well as of LZN and other arbovirus infections in the Rostov Region and assessment of their resistance under anthropogenic impact are carried out. Molecular biologists and genetics select new genetic markers-classifiers of vibrios; study the characteristics of toxins of various nature; developing methods for assessing of the V. cholerae cell-fitness with the use of various PCR variants, that are based on the transcription of genes detection identified by transcriptome analysis; methods for isolation of RNA drugs, which are free of DNA impurities from V. cholerae O1 cells; studying the genome of pathogens of highly infectious diseases (OOI), the molecular mechanisms of regulation of the pathogenic properties of the plague pathogen; pheno- and genotypic variability of atypical strains. The institute’s specialists don’t lose the interest in finding the ways to increase the activity of antibiotics against pathogens of highly infectious diseases. Particular attention is paid to creation of mono- and polyclonal peroxidase conjugates for the specific detection of cholera toxin; the development of diagnostic and prophylactic phage drugs; issues of diagnosis, intra-and interspecific differentiation of plague and pseudotuberculosis causative agents.
During the recent years, the Institute’s material and technical base has been significantly strengthened, the state of the art equipment has been acquired, which has significantly expanded an arsenal of diagnostic and studying methods of the causative agents of infectious diseases.
Significant results of the 85-year-long, large-scale and diverse scientific activity of the Institute are reflected in more than 8.5 thousands of scientific publications. During the period of implementation of more than 1000 research projects, the Institute staff developed and improved a large number of laboratory diagnostic methods, diagnostic products, instructive and informational documents at the federal and regional levels, patents, databases and GIS, more than 50 doctoral and 240 candidate dissertations. Since the moment of the institute foundation professional retraining and advanced training courses for highly infectious diseases specialists have been constantly conducted. Thousands of specialists graduated these courses; all of them represent the pride of national science and practical health care.

Холера Грипп Чума Японский энцефалит Малярия Менингококковая инфекция Лихорадка Зика ГЛПС Коронавирусная инфекция Туляремия Бешенство Бешенство человека Осторожно, клещи! Малярия