Viral hepatitis E: its epidemiological characteristics in the Republic of Tajikistan

The characteristic feature of the Republic of Tajikistan, as well as other republics of Central Asia, is the wide spread of virus hepatitis E. The epidemiology of this grave disease, recently known as virus hepatitis non A, non B with the fecal-oral mechanism of transmission of this infection, has been yet insufficiently studied. The article points out to the specific character of this infection which essentially differs, both epidemiologically and clinically, from other enteric hepatitis (hepatitis A), also hyperendemic for the republic. The results of the study of the immunostructure of the population with respect to both hepatitis E and hepatitis A are presented.     

Shigellosis and other acute intestinal infections in the Republic of Tajikistan: the epidemiological patterns

Acute enteric infections (AEI), including shigellosis, are characterized by their extremely wide spread in Tajikistan. Their hyperendemicity is due to a high activity of the water route of transmission under the conditions of hot climate. The morbidity level of AEI both in the republic as a whole and in its individual territories has been found to directly depend on the degree of the potential epidemiological danger of the water supply system, as well as on the quality of water used by the population in the presence of its pronounced deficiency. The important role of breast feeding for the prophylaxis of AEI among young children is shown.     

The spread of rotavirus gastroenteritis in the Republic of Tajikistan

The article deals with the results of the investigation which has demonstrated the spread of rotavirus infection on the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan. This infection has gained an important place in the regional pathology and requires increased epidemiological surveillance on its spread. As established in the course of this investigation, in patients with the clinical manifestations of pronounced gastroenteritis rotavirus plays the role of the etiological agent in 25.8% of cases in children aged up to 14 years and in 11.0% of cases in adults. Synchronism in the seasonal dynamics of morbidity in acute enteric infections of unclear etiology and rotavirus gastroenteritis among children aged 0-2 years, annually reaching morbidity peak in October, has been revealed. Rotavirus gastroenteritis requires close attention as regards its prophylaxis as one of the main nosological forms of acute enteric infections in the Republic.     

The etiological structure of acute intestinal infections in children in the Republic of Tajikistan]

The Republic of Tajikistan belongs to the territories, traditionally hyperendemic with respect to acute enteric diseases (AED). The problem of AED still remains topical in recent years, especially among child population. The study of the etiological structure of AED in children has made it possible to establish that more than 70% of these diseases are of infectious nature. The leading role in the etiological structure of these diseases belongs to Shigella infections (32.4%), enterovirus diarrhea (12.1%) and Escherichia infections (8.9%). No significant differences in the character of the etiological structure of AED in children of urban and rural areas have been detected with the exception of enterovirus diarrhea, found to occur 2.7 times more frequently on children of urban areas (15.9%) than in those of rural areas (5.8%). The ascertaining of the etiological structure of AED in Tajikistan will make it possible to essentially increase epidemiological surveillance on AED and render it more concrete.