FKUZ Stavropol Rospotrebnadzor Anti Institute

The aim of the study was to determine the natural boundary of the focal territory, in particular, the boundary between the Precaspian sandy and Dagestan plain-piedmont natural foci of plague. There are 11 natural plague foci that are fully or partially located on the territory of the Russian Federation, most of which share common borders. However, in many cases, it is not possible to establish a natural boundary of the focus, so a formalized boundary is drawn outside the presumed passage. Such uncertainty can lead to difficulties in organizing the examination of foci, implementing preventive measures, and to misinterpretation of survey results and inappropriate use of predictive models. Objectives: to construct ecological niches of the parasitic systems of both foci and to define the boundary between them. Materials and methods. Archival data from the Stavropol Anti-Plague Institute, Dagestan, Elista, and Astrakhan Plague Control Stations of the Rospotrebnadzor regarding the epizootic manifestations of plague in the foci over the past 35 years were used. Information on abiotic and biotic factors was obtained from open databases on the Internet. Ecological niche models of the foci were constructed using artificial intelligence elements. Results and discussion. The studied area is proposed to be classified as part of the Dagestan plain-piedmont natural focus of plague, and new outlines of the boundary between the foci are put forward.

The analytical review presents information on current situation on brucellosis in the Russian Federation. According to long-term data, on average, more than 400 cases of brucellosis among population are registered in Russia annually; incidence rate per 100 thousand population is 0.29. More than 70 % of brucellosis cases were detected in the territory with active cattle breeding in the south of the European part of the country. Since 2022, there has been an increase in the number of human brucellosis cases in regions with developed livestock farming in territories enzootic for brucellosis (mainly the Republic of Dagestan) and in previously relatively safe entities (Bryansk, Smolensk Regions, the Republic of Tatarstan, Penza Region, Krasnoyarsk Territory). In 2024, 530 cases of brucellosis were registered (0.36 per 100 thousand population), which exceeds the average long-term indicators by 27, 4 %. The emergence of group epidemic outbreaks among professional contingent at public sector farms and “family” epidemiological foci on private subsidiary farms can be considered as new threats in terms of brucellosis. Taking into account the development trends of the situation on brucellosis, in 2025, the incidence rate is predicted to be 30–40 % higher than average long-term level, which may amount to 480–530 new cases (0,32–0,36 per 100 thousand population).

Pathogens, particularly Brucella spp., pose a serious threat to human and animal health. In the complex of anti-epidemic and sanitary-hygienic measures aimed at preventing infectious diseases, chemical disinfection plays an important role. This disinfection method is one of the effective, reliable and common ways to combat pathogenic biological agents. An important role is played by modern quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC)-based disinfectants. In relation to chemical disinfectants, the causative agent of brucellosis belongs to the group of low-resistant microorganisms. Solutions of sublimate, creolin, phenol, sulfuric, hydrochloric, nitric and acetic acids, formalin, chloramine, hydrogen peroxide, solutions of disinfectants based on QAC, triamine and polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG) have pronounced bactericidal activity against brucellae. However, the instructions for commercial disinfectants note a bactericidal activity against pathogens of particularly dangerous infections (plague, tularemia, cholera and anthrax), but do not indicate antimicrobial properties against Brucella. The purpose of the work was to determine the antimicrobial properties of five commercial disinfectants “Alfadez Forte”, “Aminaz-Plus”, “Veltolen”, “Desarin” and “Laina-med”, used in the disinfection of objects with especially dangerous infections of bacterial etiology. The studies were carried out using the suspension method, according to the manual “Methods of laboratory research and testing of disinfectants to assess their effectiveness and safety”. Three vaccine strains B. melitensis Rev-1, B. abortus 19 BA, B. suis 61 were used as test microbes. As a result of the studies, it was found that commercial disinfectants “Alfadez Forte”, “Aminaz-Plus”, “Veltolen”, “Desarin” and “Lina-med” in the concentrations proposed by the manufacturers in the instructions for use when working with particularly dangerous infections (plague, tularemia, cholera) have bactericidal properties relative to vaccine strains.

The review features the situation on Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in the world and the analysis of the epidemiological and epizootiological situation in the Russian Federation in 2023. The number of CCHF cases (26) in Russia was 2.3 times less than in 2022, and 71.6 % lower than the long-term average (in 2013–2022 – an average of 88.8 cases per year, mortality (8 %) is 2.4 times higher than the long-term average (3.3 %). The epidemically significant indicator of the abundance of the main vector of the CCHF virus, ticks Hyalomma marginatum, was 5 times higher than the threshold value (abundance index for cattle – 15.5) at long-term observation points in April. For the first time, one case of CCHF disease was registered in a new epidemically active territory – in the Botlikh and Novolaksky districts of the Republic of Dagestan. For the first time in the Zaporozhye Region, RNA of the CCHF virus was detected in ticks H. marginatum and Rhipicephalus rossicus. Markers of CCHF virus were found in 0.67–18.27 % of samples, CCHF virus variants of the genetic line Europe 1 were circulating on the territory of Russia in 2023. According to the forecast of the epidemic situation for 2024, CCHF morbidity is likely to increase in the south of the European part of Russia. The recommendations for undertaking preventive measures have been provided.

To study clinical and functional recovery in experimental animals with transected spinal cord after management with photo-cross-linked chitosan in a homogeneous mixture with polyethylene glycol. We studied 20 rabbits with a model of complete spinal cord transection at the level of Th9. There were control and experimental groups (n=10; n=10). In the experimental group, we intraoperatively injected photo-cross-linked chitosan in a homogeneous mixture with polyethylene glycol. Neurological status was assessed using the modified Basso Beattie Bresnahan scale. Histological examination was performed after removing the animals from the experiment. In the experimental group, significant regression of neurological disorders was accompanied by partial recovery of movements, sensitivity and control of pelvic functions by the 30th day of the experiment. There was no mortality in the experimental group. Paraplegia and anesthesia persisted in the control group while mortality was 40% (n=4). Histological analysis in the main group revealed axonal «bridges» in the area of injury and spread of DiI dye through this area. These phenomena confirm the positive effect of chitosan and polyethylene glycol on functional recovery after experimental spinal cord injury. These data are consistent with histological findings.

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The aim of the study was to assess the epizootiological situation on bacterial vector-borne infections in Caucasian Mineral Waters area of the Stavropol Territory over the period of 2018–2020.Materials and methods. 3494 specimens of ticks (473 pools), 257 specimens of small mammals, 9 regurgitates of birds of prey and mammals, 7 excreta samples of small mammals, and 2 water samples were tested. Laboratory research of the field material was carried out using molecular-genetic, serological, biological methods. Statistical analysis of laboratory results was conducted using Microsoft Excel 2010. The data were mapped using QGIS 2.18 software.Results and discussion. The study revealed that the 44.8 % of collected ticks were positive for tick-borne borreliosis, 21.5 % – for tick-borne rickettsiosis, 10.3% – for human granulocytic anaplasmosis, 2.7 % – for Q fever, 0.84 % – for tularemia. There has been an increase in the percentage of positives for tick-borne borreliosis agent samples (more than three times) and a decrease in this indicator for human granulocytic anaplasmosis (1.5 times) as compared with 2010–2012. Investigation of tick infection with the agents of Q fever and tick-borne rickettsioses has not been previously conducted in the region. During the period under review, 19 pools of ticks had mixed infection, which indicates that there are combined foci of bacterial natural-focal infections with vector-borne transmission in the recreation zone of the Stavropol Territory. This necessitates preventive measures and systematical epizootiological surveys in the Caucasian Mineral Waters region.

Objective of the study was to assess the epizootiological and epidemiological situation on anthrax in the Volgograd Region in the period of 1920–2019, to zone the territory according to the degree of disadvantage as regards anthrax using geographic information technologies. Materials and methods. The reporting data of the Rospotrebnadzor Administration, Veterinary Committee in the Volgograd Region, and literature sources were studied. ESRI-ArcGIS 10 software was used as a GIS-platform. Epizootic index was applied in the zoning according to the degree of disadvantage regarding anthrax in the territories of the region. Results and discussion. Currently, 529 stationary potentially hazardous as regards anthrax areas have been registered in 33 districts of the Volgograd Region, 53 anthrax burial sites are accounted for in 20 districts. During the period of 1970–2019, 226 cases of infection of farm animals and 37 cases of anthrax among humans were detected. Most of the stationary potentially hazardous as regards anthrax areas (347 sites, 66 %) were formed in 1930–1949. Maximum activity was observed in 1930–1959. The zoning of the territory of the Volgograd Region was carried out using ESRI-ArcGIS 10 software, as a result of which the municipal districts were divided into four groups according to the degree of disadvantage regarding anthrax. The potential of different soil and landscape zones in the persistence of the anthrax microbe was studied. It has been found that chernozem, chestnut, dark-chestnut soil types, which occupying more than 50 % of the total region area and predominate in the zones of moderately arid and dry steppes, alongside alluvial meadow soils of river valleys, floodplains of rivers are very favorable for the persistence of the anthrax pathogen. The territory of the Volgograd Region is endemic for this infection and epizootiological and epidemiological well-being in the region largely depends on the completeness and timelines of preventive measures. The use of geographic information technologies provides a comprehensive analysis of the infection activity manifestations with reliable improvement of the anti-anthrax surveillance system and control in making differentiated managerial decisions.