[Use of prodigiozan for preventing acute respiratory viral diseases in a children's collective].

The epidemiological efficacy of 0.02 per cent solution of prodigiosan, a bacterial polysaccharide was used for the treatment of children in an area with acute respiratory infections, such as influenza and parainfluenza. The drug was administered intranasally by means of a dosing sprayer in the amounts of 0.2 ml once in 4 days for 4 months. Among the children treated with prodigiosan the rate of the acute respiratory viral infections was 2 times lower and the average duration of the disease was 2.4 times lower as compared to the control group. After 4 months of the drug use the average value of the "skin autoflora" test was much lower than that in the control group which testified to an increase in the non-specific immunobiological reactivity of the children under the effect of prodigiosan.