nstitute Researchers Participate in All-Russian Conferences on Viral Hepatitis and HIV Surveillance

16  10.2026 On 15–16 October 2026, Moscow hosted a major scientific forum bringing together two All-Russian scientific and practical conferences with international participation devoted to viral hepatitis and epidemiological surveillance of HIV infection.

The forum included the 15th Anniversary All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference with International Participation “Viral Hepatitis: Achievements and New Prospects” and the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference with International Participation “Epidemiological Surveillance of HIV Infection.”

The events were organised by the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor), the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, and the Academician V.I. Pokrovsky National Association of Infectious Disease Specialists.

Over the two-day programme, participants attended a joint plenary session, 18 thematic sessions, the symposium “Hepatitis B Vaccination in Young Children: Risks Associated with Deviations from the National Immunisation Schedule and Ways to Minimise Them,” the round table “Use of Genotyping and Phylogenetic Analysis in Epidemiological Investigations of HIV Infection and Viral Hepatitis,” and the Young Scientists’ Competition. More than 170 presentations were delivered in total.

The forum concluded with a joint meeting of specialised expert commissions and scientific societies, where a final resolution was adopted. The document outlined proposals for further improvement of epidemiological surveillance, development of genomic surveillance and seroepidemiological studies, and strengthening of preventive activities among patients and healthcare professionals.

As part of the conference “Viral Hepatitis: Achievements and New Prospects,” commemorative M.S. Balayan medals were awarded for outstanding contributions to the study and prevention of hepatitis E.

The forum attracted more than 1,500 specialists representing Rospotrebnadzor, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Federal Medical-Biological Agency, Roszdravnadzor, the Ministry of Defence and the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, as well as specialised research institutes, universities and socially oriented non-profit organisations. Participants represented 72 regions of the Russian Federation and 12 foreign countries, including Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Jordan and the Republic of the Congo. Approximately 650 delegates attended in person.

The Institute was represented by Director Natalia N. Zaitseva, MD, DSc, Associate Professor; Deputy Director for Research and Head of the Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Epidemiology Anastasia V. Polyanina, MD, PhD; and Junior Researcher of the Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Epidemiology Alena A. Topchiy.

At the “Epidemiology of Viral Hepatitis” session, Natalia N. Zaitseva presented “The Current Hepatitis E Epidemic Process in the Nizhny Novgorod Region: Characteristics, Challenges and Possible Solutions,” while Anastasia V. Polyanina delivered the presentation “Hepatitis B Vaccination: Achievements and Challenges.”

At the “Epidemiological Surveillance of HIV Infection” session, Natalia N. Zaitseva presented “Genomic Surveillance as a Tool for Managing the HIV Epidemic Process in the Volga Federal District.” She also served as chair of both sessions.

Alena A. Topchiy took part in the Young Scientists’ Competition with the presentation “Seroepidemiological Monitoring in the Hepatitis A Surveillance System in the Nizhny Novgorod Region.”

Participants emphasised the importance of the forum for the further development of epidemiology in Russia, improvement of epidemiological surveillance, and strengthening of the country’s biological security.