Introduction. In the Republic of Moldova, the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on March 7, followed by a significantly increasing incidence across the country. It is important to describe the clinical and epidemiological aspects that were adjusted to the national context in order to develop and implement optimal public health care measures. Material and methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from March 7 to April 6, 2020, using the surveillance system data of the Republic of Moldova on COVID-19 case incidence. All cases of COVID-19 were confirmed by Real-Time PCR. Results. During the reference period, 965 cases of COVID-19 were registered, whereas the urban incidence rate was 1.4 times higher than the rural one. The mean age of infected population was 45.2 years, whereas the most affected age group was 50-59 years, found in 232 cases. Healthcare workers made up 26.6±1.4% out of 965 diseased patients. They included nurses – 34.2±3.0%, auxiliary medical staff – 29.6±2.8%, doctors – 27.2±2.8%, first-aid assistants – 7.4±1.6%, pharmacists – 1.2±0.7%, paramedics –0.4±0.4%. The health status of people diagnosed with COVID-19 was severe in 8.0 ± 0.9% of cases; moderate severity – in 34.7±1.5% and satisfactorily severe – in 57.3±1.6% of cases. Conclusions. The identified clinical and epidemiological aspects allowed readjusting the public health policies in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection among the elderly and medical workers.

Introduction. Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by microorganisms of the genus Leptospira with a global spread. The main reservoir of leptospires are the small mammals, which survive after infection, spreading the causative agent in the environment with urine. Material and methods. The studied were conducted in 2017-2019 in different ecosystems, where 1617 small mammals were collected, investigated for the presence of specific antibodies to Leptospira spp. Ecological analysis of small mammal communities was performed and leptospire-carrier species were identified. Results. 17 species of the order Rodentia and Soricomorpha were identified. The most widespread are A. sylvaticus, A. flavicollis and A. agrarius with a frequency of 100%, abundant and dominant in most of the studied ecosystems. Antibodies specific to Leptospira spp. were detected in 9 species, the highest share of the species with leptospire belongs to A. agrarius (53.85%) and C. glareolus (11.54%). The serogroups Leptospira grippotyphosa, L. icterohaemorrhagiae and L. pomona were highlighted. Conclusions. The epizootiological process in leptosrosis is mentained active in the nature by 9 species of small mammals, including one of the euritope species A. agrarius, the leptospire rate was determined at 53.85%. The intense circulation of leptospires in the small mammal population determines the need to monitor the multiannual dynamics of their in order to establish changes in natural foci of leptospirosis, forecast the epizootological situation and the risk of spreading of disease among the human population.

Introduction. Some causative agents of sapro-zoonotic infections can multiply in the external environment (water reservoirs, soils, plants), as well as in animals, including microorganisms of the genus Yersinia. Material and methods. Isolation and identification of Y. pseudotuberculosis was carried out in accordance with the instructions on “Epidemiology, laboratory diagnosis of yersiniosis, organization and conduct of preventive and anti-epidemiological measures”. Antibiotic sensitivity was performed via the disc diffusion method in accordance with EUCAST and national guidelines. Biofilm formation was tested using the spectrophotometric assay. Results. It was established that the studied cultures showed a decrease in the level of saccharolytic activity during cultivation at a temperature of +37°C in comparison with the results obtained at 25°C, changes in sensitivity to antibiotics depending on the temperature of cultivation were revealed. It was established that Y. pseudotuberculosis cultures were able to form denser (? 570) biofilms when cultured at 25°C, in comparison with biofilms formed at 37°C. Conclusions. Biological characteristics of the studied Y. pseudotuberculosis isolates (changes in the saccharolytic activity, the level of sensitivity to antibiotics and the formation of biofilms were revealed) depends on the cultivation conditions.

Introduction. Pathological left ventricular (LV) remodeling in children with metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with a significant increase in cardiometabolic risk. However, data regarding the prevalence of LV remodeling patterns in children with MS are limited. Material and methods. An observational analytical cohort study was conducted on 145 children. The diagnosis of MS was established according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. We analyzed the echocardiography, as well as clinical and paraclinical data. Participants were distributed, depending on LV mass index and relative wall thickness into four LV geometric patterns as recommended by American and European Society of Echocardiography: normal geometry, concentric left ventricular remodeling (cLVR), concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (cLVH), and eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy (eLVH). Results. The pathological remodeling patterns were distributed as follows: 62.1% (n=90) participants showed a normal LV geometry pattern, 27.6% (n=40) – cLVH, 5.5% (n=8) – cLVR and 4.8% (n=7) – eLVH. In terms of presence/absence of MS, 54.7% (n=29) participants from the research group showed a normal LV geometry pattern, 32.1% (n=17) – cLVH, 5.7% (n=3) – cLVR and 7.5% (n=4) – eLVH, whereas 66.3% (n=61) participants from the control group presented normal LV geometric appearance, 25% (n=23) – cLVH, 5.4% (n=5) – cLVR and 3.3% (n=3) – eLVR (?2=0.52; p>0.05). Conclusions. Concentric left ventricular hypertrophy was the commonest LV geometric pattern among the subjects with metabolic syndrome. Concentric left ventricular remodeling and eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy were rare among the study population.

Introduction. The major and most common mechanisms for almost all antimicrobial substances is the induction of oxidative stress responses within the pathogen cells by accumulation of free radicals, which mediate a whole range of classical antimicrobial mechanisms of action observed by researchers. Thus, this present study was conducted to reveal some biochemical changes regarding the antioxidant status of pathogenic microorganisms under the influence of novel chemical compounds selected. Material and methods. The copper (II) coordination compounds were included as in vitro study material, namely, Co (II), Zn (II) and aromatic propenones, synthesized at the Department of Inorganic Chemistry, the State University of Moldova. The antimicrobial properties were tested on five reference strains. The ABTS test was applied to determine the antioxidant activity, thus determining the total antioxidant capacity using the ABTS?+ cation radical. Results. The most vulnerable to high-intensity oxidative stress are the reference strains of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 2592 and Bacillus cereus ???? 8035, the most resistant being the reference culture Salmonella enterica (S. Abony ???? 03/03y). Conclusions. The study results showed that the selected compounds might substantially reduce the total antioxidant capacity in the studied reference cultures.

Introduction. The rapid development of information technologies has provided challenges and opportunities for effective documentation of plant genetic resources (PGR). Access to information on PGR is essential for their conservation and sustainable utilization. Material and methods. Information System on PGR in Republic of Moldova – ReGen was created to manage the data on PGR conservation at the national level and represents unified system that includes three basic functional blocks: ex situ, in situ/on-farm. Results. The study resulted in an analysis of existing situation on information management of PGR ex situ conservation at national level, as well it highlighted the major challenges and constraints in this area. The priorities for ex situ conservation activities and related information were proposed. Conclusions. An integrated approach of ReGen information system seems to be the most adequate way to increase the possibility to manage more efficiently the existing information about germplasm collections at the national level, make more easily and available the data for users and use the appropriate conservation strategies.

Introduction. Meningococcal infection (MI) and N. meningitidis carriage are widespread. The global incidence represents a total of 500,000-1,200,000 cases per year, of which 50,000-135,000 are fatal. In European countries the incidence is 0.6-2.0 per 100,000. Infants and young people are more likely to get affected due to different genotypes of meningococci. Thus, MI surveillance is required. Material and methods. The research purpose was to perform an epidemiological analysis of MI in the Republic of Moldova between 2000 and 2019. In the descriptive retrospective epidemiological study were analysed the total MI incidence of a population of 100,000 people, the number of cases in urban and rural areas, the morbidity rate among 1000 children aged between 0 and 17 years, and patients’ age structure. Results. A decreased incidence, without cyclicity, was registered over the past 5 years from 2.57 to 0.55-1.01 per 100,000. The number of carriers accounted for 0.48-0.26 per 100,000 between 2000 and 2005, and zero during 2016-2019. MI vaccination is not carried out. The MI incidence in urban and rural areas was the same. In children aged between 0 and 17 years, during 2000 and 2005, MI incidence was 0.05–0.07, compared to 2016–2019 when it constituted 0.02–0.04 per 1000. In children aged between 0 and 2 years these indices were 0.08 per 1000 in 2004, and 0.44 per 1000 in 2018. Thus, the indices were lower among children aged between 3 and 6 years. Conclusions. Incomplete detection of MI has been noted. Children aged between 0 and 2 years are prone to develop MI, the most vulnerable ones being children aged up to one year. The age structure of patients depends on the intensity of the epidemic process. Hence, it is necessary to improve MI surveillance with genotyping of circulating strains.

Introduction. Autoinflammatory diseases are a group of genetically inherited disorders and familial Mediterranean fever is the most common of this group. It is rare in other than Middle East populations. Clinical manifestations of FMF are attacks of fever usually shorter than 24 hours, associated with arthritis, pleuritic chest pain, and abdominal pain. Case presentation. A 15-year-old female patient was included in the study. She complained of recurrent episodes of fever associated with arthritis and abdominal pain. Moreover, the patient presented dysmorphic features like hyperthelorism, prognathia, scoliosis, pectus carinatum, and hypermobility syndrome. The laboratory exam revealed mutations in both MEVF and SMAD 3. Conclusions. An autoinflammatory disorder should be suspected in any patient who has a history of recurrent fever. The attack patterns of FMF varies not just in different patients, but also in the same patient. Mainstay of treatment is colchicine that significantly improves the prognosis of patients with FMF.