Hydrological dangerous natural phenomena as cause of aggravation of an epidemiological situation

Materials dealing with the specific features of the territory of Southern Russia, appearing as a consequence of natural, technogenic and some other factors, are presented. These materials indicate that, due to the high flood in summer of 2002, a real danger of a sharp aggravation of the epidemiological situation in acute enteric infections, as well as other infections, arose on a vast territory. As the result of the timely evaluation and analysis of changes in the factors of the natural and social environment, occurring as the consequence of the high flood, prophylactic measures were urgently carried out, thus making it possible to prevent the aggravation of the epidemiological situation.     

On the epidemiological situation in quarantine, natural focal and other infections on the territory of the Southern Federal District

The data on the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Southern Federal District are presented. The analysis of morbidity in tuberculosis, measles, HIV infection, viral hepatitis A, typhoid fever, cholera and quarantine infections, Crimean hemorrhagic fever, West Nile fever, rabies, malaria has been carried out. Special attention has been given to "new and newly returning infections", and among them to the spread of SARS ("atypical pneumonia"). The role of regional epidemiological safety programs, in particular such program as "The prophylaxis of quarantine and natural focal infections and the sanitary protection of the territory of the Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation from the import and spread infectious diseases in 2003-2005", has been substantiated.     

Prevention of acute enteric infections and viral hepatitis A appearing in connection with a natural disaster in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alana

Materials on the work of the sanitary and epidemiological service in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, aimed at the prophylaxis of acute enteric infections and viral hepatitis A under the conditions of the emergency situation caused natural calamities (inundation, high flood), are presented. The competent planning and operative realization of organizational, prophylactic and anti-epidemic measures have made it possible to keep morbidity in acute enteric infections and viral hepatitis A on a sporadic level.     

Emergency situations in the Republic of Ingushetia and the prevention of their epidemiological consequences

Information on the sanitary and epidemiological situation and water supply in the Republic of Ingushetia during the period before and after the emergency situation (high flood) is presented. The results of epidemiological observations on the territory of the Republic of Ingushetia for the period of June 22 to the end of the year 2002 indicate that no considerable rise in infectious morbidity, as well as outbreaks of natural focal infections, was noted. This suggests that, in spite of the complicated sanitary and epidemiological situation before the emergency situation (due to the vicinity of the conflict in the Chechen Republic, the intensive migration of the population and the presence of a large of refugees on the territory of the Republic of Ingushetia) and its sharp deterioration caused by the high flood, the timely realization of a complex of sanitary and prophylactic measures made it possible to avoid the wide spread of infectious diseases.     

Prevention of acute enteric infections and viral hepatitis A in the Krasnodar Territory appearing in connection with a natural disaster in 2002

Materials on the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Krasnodar Territory in connection with emergency situations (intensive snowfalls, heavy showers, high floods) in 2002 are presented. The scope of the destruction of the systems ensuring the life provision of the population in the affected regions of the territory is shown. To carry out the epidemiological surveillance on acute enteric infections, to make corrections of the planned prophylactic measures, as well as the timely solutions of problems connected with controlling the epidemiological situation, the daily monitoring of the level and dynamics of infectious morbidity in individual settlements among different age and professional groups, as well as the foci of infections, was established. 65 cases of acute enteric infection and 4 cases of viral hepatitis A were registered in the affected areas, which did not exceed the average morbidity figures for many years. A complex of sanitary, hygienic and prophylactic measures was carried out by the sanitary and epidemiological service of the territory, which made it possible to maintain human morbidity in acute enteric infections and viral hepatitis A in the affected areas on the sporadic level.     

Prevention of acute enteric infections and viral hepatitis A in a period of an emergency situation on the territory of the Karachai-Chercasssian Republic

Information on the scope of destructions caused by the high flood, on the sanitary and hygienic situation on the affected territories of the Karachai-Chercassian Republic is given. Materials on the organization and realization of prophylactic measures on the territory of the Karachai-Chercassian Republic at the period the natural calamity, under the conditions of a high risk of the appearance of an outbreak of enteric infections and viral hepatitis A are presented. In these materials the main trends of the work are pointed out; due to the timely taken and effectively carried out measures on the anti-epidemic protection of the population, the sanitary and epidemiological service was shown to prevent the aggravation of the epidemiological situation in the republic.     

Role of epidemiological science and practice in protecting the health of the population of the country

The historical stages of the development of epidemiology as a science with a specific object of study, is summarized. One of the greatest theoretical generalizations is the doctrine on the natural focality of diseases. New principles of theoretical epidemiology, new theories and concepts are analyzed. The role of infectious pathology as one of the main criteria of the population health is emphasized as well as a wide spread of infectious (parasitic) diseases. The specific feature of the present stage of epidemiological situation is the dominating and constantly increasing role of viruses in the etiology of infectious diseases. The effectiveness of vaccinal prophylaxis to control vaccine-preventable infections is substantiated. The role of epidemiological science in revealing the epidemiological regularities of emerging and re-emerging infections is emphasized.     

Immunologic monitoring of leptospirosis in the Maritime Territory

The epidemiological and epizootic situation in Leptospira infections at the Maritime [correction of Primorski] Territory is evaluated on the basis of complex studies carried out in 1984-1989. As revealed in these studies, cases of leptospirosis among humans have a sporadic character and are mainly registered among professional high risk groups of the population. In the immunological structure of persons covered by the survey L. hebdomadis, L. pomona and L. javanica prevail. The anthropourgic foci of leptospirosis caused by L. pomona are of the leading epidemiological importance. Swine serves as the main source of infection in these foci. The study revealed the epidemic danger of the natural foci of leptospirosis caused by L. grippotyphosa and L. javanica in rice fields where the decisive factors of leptospirosis proved to be reed voles and striped field mice serving as reservoirs of this infection, as well as the synanthropic foci of leptospirosis caused by L. hebdomadis with house mice serving as the main carriers.     

Leptospirosis in the Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation

The retrospective and operative epidemiological analysis of leptospirosis morbidity on the administrative territories of the Southern Federal District during the period of 1990-2002 was carried out. The dynamics and tendencies of morbidity in individual administrative units of the region were shown. Materials on the negative influence of the emergency situation arising in the region as the result of the natural calamity in summer 2002 were presented. As shown in this work, timely decisions on the stabilization of epidemiological situation taken at the period of high flood and inundation in summer 2002 in the Southern Federal District and their efficient execution made it possible to keep the epidemiological situation in leptospirosis under control.     

Prevention of acute enteric infections and viral hepatitis A in the Stavropol Territory in connection with a natural disaster

Materials on the organization and realization of prophylactic measures with respect to acute enteric infections (AEI) and viral hepatitis A (VHA) at the period of the liquidation of medico-sanitary consequences of the high flood are presented. As shown in these materials, the epidemiological surveillance on AEI and VHA in the areas affected by the emergency situation included the effective system of monitoring on these diseases. On the basis of monitoring optimum decisions were taken and concrete prophylactic measures were realized. This made it possible to detect the foci of infectious diseases in due time and efficiently liquidate them, as well as to prevent the development of the epidemiological consequences of the high flood.     

Epidemiological surveillance on natural-borne infections in the Ulyanovsk region

The analysis of natural foci of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and tick-borne borreliosis on the territory of the Ulyanovsk region is presented. Reduced rat control interventions result in a wide spread of these and other infections with natural focality. Monitoring of natural foci of HFRS, tick-borne borreliosis and arbovirus infections, their typing and determination of main reservoirs are the most promising among epidemiological surveillance methods.     

Sanitary and epidemiological provision of the personnel of the units and border formations of the North Caucasus Regional Command of the Border Guard Service of the Russian Federation

The factors affecting the environment of servicemen doing their duties in connection with the task of guarding the state frontier of the Russian Federation are presented. The main trends in the activity of the sanitary and epidemiological service, carried out under regular conditions and the period of the liquidation of the consequences of high floods in the Southern Federal District in 2002 with the aim of preventing the aggravation of the epidemical situation, were shown to be determined, and the corresponding measures taken, in due time, thus making it possible to prevent the growth of morbidity in enteric and other infections among the personnel of the units and formations of the North Caucasian Regional Command of the Federal Frontier-Guard Service of the Russian Federation.     

Epidemiologic situation of brucellosis in the regions of the Republic of Dagestan affected by the flood of 2002

The Republic of Daghestan is at present one of the most unsafe territories in the Russian Federation with respect to brucellosis morbidity among humans. The figures of human morbidity in brucellosis grew from 3.4 per 100,000 of the population in 1999 to 10.5 per 100,000 of the population in 2002, thus exceeding the figures for the whole of Russia 15- to 20-fold. The analysis of human morbidity in the Kizlyar region (where the interregional regrouping of the cattle was made) after the natural calamity, as well a in other regions where live-stock was evacuated, indicated that by the end of 2002 an essential deterioration of the epidemiological situation took place in these regions. In view of grave epizootological situation and the absence of epidemiological safety in brucellosis in the Republic of Daghestan the sanitary, epidemiological and veterinary services should, together with other priority tasks in their work aimed at the liquidation of the emergency situation, pay greater attention to measures for the prevention of the spread of brucellosis.     

Experience in the work on prevention of infectious diseases in the Republic of Dagestan in 2002 in connection with a natural disaster

Materials characterizing the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Republic of Daghestan which arose as the consequence of the emergency situation caused by the high flood and inundation in summer 2002 are presented. The work of the sanitary and epidemiological service, carried out in cooperation with the relevant departments, on the organization and realization of measures aimed at preventing the deterioration of the epidemiological situation on the territories of the republic, affected by the natural calamity, is described. As shown in the presented materials, all these measures made it possible to ensure the effective control on the sanitary, hygienic and epidemiological situation in the republic and to prevent the appearance and spread of the outbreaks of infectious diseases.     

Hospital infections: the problems and ways to resolve them]

The authors present the critical analysis of the existing situation in the spread of purulent septic infections in surgical hospitals of the USSR and the state of epidemiological surveillance. Considering this situation to be highly unfavorable, the authors propose a number of urgent organizational measures (the inclusion of hospital epidemiologists into the medical staff of large clinics, the system of training in this problem). The article deals with the specific features of the epidemiological process in purulent septic infections and the main principles of the organization of the epidemiological surveillance system for this group of infections.     

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in southern Russia

At the end of the 20th--the beginning of the 21st century activation of a natural focus of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in southern Russia was noted. As a consequence, in 2002 outbreaks and sporadic cases of this disease were registered on the territory of 6 out of 13 administrative units of the Southern Federal District. To minimize the epidemiological consequences of the aggravating epidemiological situation considerable efforts and means were required from health care organs and institutions of the state sanitary and epidemiological service, including essential financial expenditures. The results of natural foci of CCHF survey, obtained by 2002, as well as main trends of prophylactic and antiepidemic interventions are presented. Scientific research and practical observations made it possible to work out a number of methodological regulations concerning the diagnostics, treatment and prophylaxis of CCHF.     

Trends in the development of the epidemic process in salmonellosis caused by Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis

The dynamics and structure of the epidemic process of Salmonella infections among the population of Perm in 1983-1988 was studied and the results of evaluation of antibiotic resistance of the dominating Salmonella species analyzed. The study revealed that a decrease in salmonellosis morbidity caused by S. typhimurium was associated with a limited circulation of anthroponotic (antibiotic-resistant) variants of Salmonellae and a relative increase in the proportion of zoonotic (antibiotic-sensitive) strains. At the period of elevated morbidity this Salmonella infection affected mainly young children in cold months, whereas in recent years seasonal morbidity rises shifted to spring-summer and summer-autumn months, affecting older age groups of the population. The study also revealed that a rise in salmonellosis morbidity caused by S. enteritidis was due to increased circulation of zoonotic variants of Salmonellae. Changes in the epidemiological situation necessitate correction of the system of epidemiological surveillance on Salmonella infections with the emphasis on sanitation measures in stock-breeding farms with unfavorable epidemiological situation.     

Clinico-epidemiologic aspects of campylobacteriosis in Moscow and Moscow Province

The clinical course and epidemiological features of campylobacteriosis in Moscow and Moscow Province in 1986-1987 are described. The specific proportion of this infection in the structure of acute enteric infections is, on the average, 4.8%. The level of Campylobacter contamination of animals and birds and their role in the spread of campylobacteriosis have been established. The possible ways and factors of the transfer of this infection are discussed.     

Basic measures for prevention of the epidemiological consequences of a natural disaster in the North Caucasus in 2002

The system of organizational and prophylactic measures, carried out with a view to prevent epidemiological aggravations in connection with the natural calamity in the Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation in 2003, is described. Proposals on the improvement of the system of preventive measures, including the monitoring of the epidemiological, sanitary and hygienic situation, personnel training, technical provision, the cooperation of different services and departments, capable of ensuring the liquidation of the consequences of emergency situations of the natural character, are made.     

Organization and execution of surveillance of the sanitary and epidemiologic situation under conditions of the emergency situation of a natural character

The data on the work of the formations and institutions of the sanitary and epidemiological service of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania under the conditions of the emergency situation of the natural character (high floods) in June 2002 and the liquidation of its consequences are presented. Experience in ensuring the interaction between the formations of the sanitary and epidemiological service on the problems connected with the realization of the epidemiological surveillance in the territories affected by the natural calamity is described.