[Results of studies of human dirofilariasis in Russia].

Human dirofilariasis is a pressing health problem in Russia. By 2014, there have been as many as 850 Dirofilaria repens-infested people living in 42 subjects of the Russian Federation. One of the favorable factors for circulation and spread of invasion is a temperature of above +20-24 degrees C; when the latter is maintained during at least 20 days there may be 1.-1.5 circulations of invasion in the carrier and a 2.8-fold increase in transmission intensity. The border ofa dirofilariasis area with a temperate climate is southward to 58 degrees N in European Russia and West Siberia and southward to 50 degrees N in the Far East. The conditions in the human body have been found to be more favorable for the development of Dirofilaria than considered before and allow the helminth to achieve sexual maturity and to propagate. If man has microfilaremia, he may be a source of invasion. It is necessary to examine venous blood by the enrichment method and, if possible, polymerase chain reaction and enzyme immunoassay, which make it possible to establish a diagnosis in occult invasion and to identify a pathogen species.

[The spread and epidemiological value of mosquitoes (Diptera, Psichodidae, Phlebotominae) of the Caucasus].

The Caucasus mosquito fauna was studied on the basis of the papers published in the 20th century. Due to the new classification developed by M.M. Artemyeva, the presence of 17 mosquito species: P.papatasi, P.sergenti, P.caucasicus, P.alexandri, P.jacusieli, P.kandelakii, P.neglectus, P.per-filiewi, P.tobbi, P.transcaucasicus, P.wenyoni, P.balcanicus, P.brevis, P.halepensis, S.dentate dentate, S.palestinensis, and S.hodsoni pawlowskyi should be considered most significant. The ecology of the mosquito species that are of medical importance is described. Maps of the spread of the mosquitoes that are of epidemiological importance have been complied on the basis of the materials by different authors on the registration of specific mosquito species in the human settlements of the Transcaucasia and North Caucasus. The spread of mosquitoes in the North Caucasus remains inadequately studied today.

[Dirofilariasis in the Moscow Region, a low disease transmission risk area].

The spread of canine and human dirofilariasis was first studied in the Moscow Region, a low disease transmission risk area. D.repens infestation was found to have a tendency to increase in Moscow residents with the imported cases being predominant. In 33 (84.6%) districts of the Moscow Region, dogs were registered to have D. immitis and D. repens infestation, with the former being preponderant in 31 districts. An original map of dirofilariasis distribution was compiled with the areas being singled out at a distance of Moscow: 15-20 km (6 districts) (the first ring); as long as 70 km (11 districts) (the second ring), and over 70 km (16 districts) where infestation rates greatly varied in both the number of infected animals and human beings and the species of causative agents.

[Formation of the synanthropic foci of dirofilariasis in Russia].

Investigation of the formation of urban synanthropic foci of dirofilatiasis in an area of large accumulations of dogs is of scientific and practical interest due to the increased number of infested inhabitants of large towns.

[Prevalence of human dirofilariasis in Russia].

The nature of regional zoning of the prevalence of dirofilariasis in Russia was first established and a map reflecting the structure of an area with the identification of three zones (low, moderate, and stable transmission risks) was drawn up. In Russia, natural and climatic conditions are favorable for the development of transmitting mosquitoes and larvae of Dirofilaria to the invasion stage in the body of the transmitter to the south of the latitude of 58 degrees north in the European part and Western Siberia and to the south of the latitude of 50 degrees north in the Far East. The region of dirofilariasis covers 53 subjects of the Russian Federation, in 39 subjects (including 29 in the European part and 10 in the Asian part) of which 564 cases of dirofilariasis were notified in 1915-2008. 68.44% of dirofilariasis cases were registered in the endemic area in 11 subjects of the Russian Federation in the stable transmission risk zone while in the moderate and low transmission risk zones these amounted to 31.55% in 28 subjects. Information on the area of dirofilariasis is needed to estimate its incidence in man in different regions of Russia, which will assist in diagnosing this zoogenous transmissible helminthiasis.

[Landscape-epidemiological zoning of Turkmenistan by leishmaniasis].

Based on the long-term (1961-1992) study of the parasitic systems of zoonotic cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in the context of a landscape, the authors made an epidemiological regional and typological zoning of Turkmenistan. Regional zoning identified 13 districts by zoonotic cutanenous leishmaniasis and 6 districts by visceral leishmaniasis. While typologically zoning according to the human hazard ofzoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, the authors divided the landscapes of Turkmenistan into 5 groups: hyperendemic; mesoendemic; hypoendemic; enzootic by cutaneous leishmaniasis, but not dangerous to man; nonenzootic by cutaneous leishmaniasis and not dangerous to man. While typologically zoning with respect with visceral leishmaniasis, the authors divided them into 4 groups: epidemically hazardous landscapes of sandy deserts and semisavanna low-mountain of South-Eastern Turkmenistan; epidemically hazardous landscapes of foothills, low-mountains, and middle mountains of Kopetdag; epidemiologically potentially dangerous landscapes of the piedmont plain of Kopetdag and the valley of the Murgab river; nonenzootic landscapes in terms of visceral leishmaniasis, and those not dangerous to man.

[Current ascariasis situation in the Russian Federation].

In the Russian Federation (RF), ascariasis remains to be the most common geohelminthiasis, in children in particular. With its overall reduction, the prevalence of ascariasis is very uneven on the RF territory. In the past 15 years, from 1991 to 2004, there was a steady-state decrease in the incidence of ascariasis from 79.5 to 46.0 per 100,000. Its incidence rates remained higher than the average Russian ones in 33 RF subjects and lower than those in 48 subjects and began reducing in 8 subjects in the past 4 years. Of the 33 RF subjects wherein the incidence rates were constantly greater than the average Russian ones, 27 subjects are located in the natural background-favorable areas. In the past 15 years, there was an increase in the impact of socioeconomic factors on the higher incidence of ascariasis: the population's migration; the delivery and transport of Ascaris egg-contaminated greens, vegetables, berries; the development of hothouse gardening, and, as a result, the occurrence of ascariasis in the northern areas of the country, as well as the use of discharged waters for soil fertilization to grow crops. The territory of Russia was first epidemiologically districted in the context of ascariasis, by taking into account the natural background and socioeconomic factors. The area of ascariasis is on the rise. In all RF subjects, public health and social security bodies should constantly keep in mind the problem in ascariasis control and prevention.

[The point-scale assessment of the intensity of the possible contamination by helminth eggs of large reservoirs in the Volga basin]. / Ball'naia otsenka intensivnosti vozmozhnogo zagriazneniia iaitsami gel'mintov krupnykh vodokhranilishch basseina Volgi.

Possibility for the contamination of man-made lakes by helminth eggs caused by superficial drain was estimated. The estimation allowed one to apply a differential approach to the organization of protection measures.

[An attempt at dividing the territory of Azerbaijan into districts according to taeniarhynchiasis]. / Opyt raionirovaniia territorii Azerbaidzhana po teniatinkhozu.

To substantiate a differential approach to sanitary measures planning with regard to infestation with Taeniorhynchus, the authors performed a staged ranging of the Azerbaijan territory. The first stage ranging was based on the statistical data on the rate of taeniasis in humans and cysticercosis in the cattle. The second stage included the correlation between the different types of the foci and various geographical properties of the republic areas. The conclusive stage employed individual and typological ranging and analysis of natural and social factors with regard to the data on the infestation rates among the human population and the cattle. With regard to endemicity rates the authors distinguished 17 individual regions and 4 types of the territory. The aforementioned staged ranging permitted the planning of sanitary measures for the individual territory.

[Visceral leishmaniasis in Central Asia and Kazakhstan]. / Vistseral'nyi leishmanioz v Srednei Azii i Kazakhstane.

At present sporadic foci of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) are encountered mainly in the natural foci. The natural foci of VL are situated mainly in valleys and foothills. In southern areas of the Turkmen SSR the majority of cases were registered in small settlements situated near wells in interbarkhan lowerings. The reservoir of pathogen here may be Vulpes vulpes and dogs and the most likely vector is Phlebotomus turanicus. In Kazakhstan cases of VL are encountered in the thickets of the Syr-Darya floodlands in Kzyl-Orda Province, where the natural reservoir of the pathogen are Canis aureus L. and Vulpes corsac, and the vector is P. smirnovi. Synanthropic foci in Dzhambul and Chimkent, where dogs were most likely the source of the infection and P. longiductus was the vector, are at present inactive. The maps have been plotted where landscape dissemination of mosquitoes (VL vectors) is compared to places of habitation of Canis aureus L. and VL incidence in humans at peaks of the disease endemia. Medical personnel should be on the look-out for VL on the whole territory with VL natural foci.

[Patterns in the distribution of visceral leishmaniasis in Transcaucasia]. / Zakonomernosti rasprostraneniia vistseral'nogo leishmanioza v Zakavkaz'e.

The paper considers the regularities of the spreading of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and present state of its foci in the Transcaucasia, where sporadic cases of the disease occur now in some regions of the Georgian and Azerbaijan SSRs, which is associated with the natural foci. The number of Phlebotomus kandelakii, Ph. transcaucasicus, Ph. balcanicus, Ph. brevis--the most probable vectors of the VL causative agents--is still rather high at the foot of the Great Caucasus, in the Ararat valley, in some regions of the Georgian SSR to the south of Tbilisi and some other regions with natural foci of the VL causative agent. The established regularities are reflected on the map, comparing the landscape-determined mosquitoes accumulation sites with VL distribution among human population at the peak of the disease. The public health system should pay special attention to the areas of distribution of mosquitoes throughout the entire natural foci area with respect to visceral leishmaniasis.

[The spread of Phlebotomus papatasi Scop., 1786 through the territory of Central Asia and southern Kazakhstan]. / Rasprostranenie Phlebotomus papatasi Scop., 1786 po territorii Srednei Azii i Iuzhnogo Kazakhstana.

The data on distribution of the main vector of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) Phlebotomus papatasi through Central Asia and southern Kazakhstan are presented. The highest indices of density of this species (100 and more specimen per stick trap) were observed only in the Tejen oasis, rather high ones (1-10, 10-100) in the river valleys and at the foothill, and the lowest one (0.01-0.1)--over the desert territory where ZCL was not practically found. Using these data 2 maps were prepared. The first map shows the pattern of Ph. papatasi geographical distribution with the use of a relative density index. This map can be useful for determining ZCL danger in areas where Ph. papatasi occurs. The second indicates sandfly distribution over Karshi steppe territory the where Ph. papatasi density depends on soil moisture. This map can serve as a model for forecasting Ph. papatasi density under anthropogenic influence.

[The structure of the nosogeographic range of opisthorchiasis in the Ob-Irtysh basin]. / Struktura nozoareala opistorkhoza v Ob'-Irtyshskom basseine.

Results of our own investigations and available data in the literature concerning the epidemiology of opisthorchiasis in Ob-Irtysh river basin have been gathered, and geographic ranging have been established. The prevalence of infection, children's infection rate, the intensity of infection and clinical manifestation rate have been suggested as a criterion for division of territories into areas. 4 degrees of endemia was established: areas with sporadic incidence rate (prevalence is less than 1%); hyperendemic (prevalence 1-10%, intensity of infection 1-20 egg/gr., children's infection and clinical manifestation are absent), mesoendemic (prevalence 10-40%, children's infection rate 1-25%, intensity of infection about 300 egg/gr., clinical manifestation rate about 50%) and hyperendemic area (prevalence above 40%, children's infection rate 25-60%, intensity of infection above 300 egg/gr., clinical manifestation rate about 80%). Original map of pattern of opisthorchiasis distribution area is presented. The decreasing of transmission of O. felineus to periphery of basin is noted.

[The spread and evaluation of the potential for the formation of new foci of opisthorchiasis and diphyllobothriasis in the Yenisei basin]. / Rasprostranenie i otsenka vozmozhnostei formirovaniia novykh ochagov opistorkhoza i difillobotrioza v basseine Eniseia.

Current epidemiological situation on opisthorchiasis and bothriocephaliasis and possibility of its alteration due to hydro construction is characterized. Construction of the Bratsk and Krasnoyarsk reservoirs led to development of new large foci of bothriocephaliasis. There is a possibility of developing new foci near other operating reservoirs or near those under construction and design. Foci of bothriocephaliasis on the Yenisei reservoirs are supposed to be more intensive than foci on the Angara reservoirs. Some opisthorchiasis foci are found in the Biryusa basin, local cases of human invasion are registered in regions on the Taseyeva river, down the Angara, and in one of the Yenisei regions where invasion foci of low intensity are supposed to exist. Reservoir construction on the Yenisei and Angara will not promote the development of new opisthorchiasis foci.

[Approaches to predicting the diphyllobothriasis and opisthorchiasis situation in connection with the reconstruction of the water supply economy in the USSR]. / Podkhody k prognozirovaniiu situatsii po difillobotriozu i opistorkhozu v sviazi s rekonstruktsiei vodnogo khoziaistva strany.

The effect of some physical-geographical and anthropogenic factors on the circulation of Diphyllobothriidae and Opisthorchis at the hydrotechnical objects of various regions of the USSR is analysed. It is emphasized that these factors affect primarily the first intermediate hosts of parasites. In opisthorchiasis changes in the intensity of the epidemic process may take place within the limits of mollusca distribution area. In diphyllobothriasis, the area of distribution may be expanded and new foci may be formed with the changes in the river hydroregimen.

[Human dirofilariasis in the Moscow region]. / Difiliarioz cheloveka v Moskovskom regione.

Dirofilaria repens Railliet et Henry, 1911 was for the first time studied in the Moscow Region where 11 patients (6 males and 5 females) aged 4-72 years were recorded in 2000-2002. The geographical distribution (the southern and south-eastern parts of the region) of local cases of dirofiliriasis, was observed. There was a relatively high rate of D. repens in the male genitalia of the infected patients as compared with that reported by other authors. In accordance with the current terminology, D. repens in the Moscow Region is proposed to be regarded as emerging infection. The authors show it necessary to obligatorily record all autochtonous cases of D. repens infection, to make epidemiological surveillance and analysis in order to early detect and prevent dirofilariasis-associated complications.