IRINE symposium; immunologic advances in the Commonwealth of Independent States(Part 1).

This symposium describes the advances in immunology that have occurred in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The worldwide difficulties of allergists and immunologists who face problems including increasing morbidity and mortality from HIV, immunoregulatory disorders, and asthma are also germane to our colleagues in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. The unique experiences of Dr. Petrov, who has investigated novel immunomodulators; Dr. Titov, who has studied synthetic immunogens; Dr. Babakhin, who has investigated the effects of modified allergens; and Dr. Sidorovitch, who has explored the pathogenesis and natural history of HIV infections occurring in Russia, offer interesting insights into the advances in immunology that have occurred in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Coping with the tragedies of radiation from Chernobyl and environmental pollution in Ukraine, Drs. Titov and Markov have investigated the effects of these unfortunate disruptions of the environment upon the occurrence of immunoregulatory disorders and asthma, respectively. Under the direction of Drs. Petrov and Khaitov, immunologist from the Commonwealth of Independent States, have conducted studies that are among the leading epidemiological immune investigations of our time to determine the effects of the Chernobyl radiation on the immune system.