[An outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum in Geokchai District, Azerbaijan SSR]. / Vspyshka kozhnogo leishmanioza, vyzvannogo Leishmania infantum, v Geokchaiskom raione Azerbaidzhanskoi SSR.

A more than 60-case outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis was documented in the Geokchai District of Azerbaijan between 1987 and 1988. The disease was noted in the rural areas only. All age groups were involved. The clinical picture of the disease was significantly different from anthropogenic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. tropica but similar to cutaneous patterns caused by L. infantum which was a prevalent pattern in the southern France. Isoenzyme assay of the strain isolated in the Geokchai causative agent defined it as Leishmania donovani sensu lato. Though an undoubted similarity of its enzymatic profile to L. infantum was observed it was distinguished as a singular zymodeme. A total of 9 Phlebotominae species were isolated in the Geokchai District. Among them 5 species (P. kandelakii, P. tobbi, P. transcaucasicus, P. brevis, P. alexandri) were reviewed in the literature with regard to L. infantum transmission. Thus cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. infantum species in the rural area of the USSR was identified for the first time.

[Strongyloidiasis prevalence in the subtropics of the Azerbaijan SSR]. / Rasprostranenie strongiloidoza v subtropikakh Azerbaidzhanskoi SSR.

The Berman technique was used in the authors' modification for strongyloidiasis survey of 18212 persons in various areas of Azerbaijan. It was stated that with the height increasing up to 500 m over the sea surface the infestation with strongyloidiasis increased and varied between 5.7 and 9.3 +/- 0.1%. At the height of 500-1500 meters the value decreased up to 3.5 +/- 0.1% and at the height of 2000-2400 meters was the lowest one (2.2 +/- 0.1%). The investigation revealed that the disease foci could appear not only in the plains or foothills but in mountainous and high-mountain areas of the Azerbaijan subtropics.

[Beetles as biological agents in fly control]. / Izuchenie zhukov kak biologicheskikh agentov v bor'be s mukhami.

309 beetles of 11 species were collected in Apsheron and other regions of Azerbaijan on sites polluted by animal and human feces to study the feasibility of using them as biological agents for flies' control. Two beetle species--S. planus and B. lethifers pterotapha belonging to the Carabidae and Tenebrionidae families--turned out to be predators which could destroy the larva of L. sericata flies under experimental conditions.

[Visceral leishmaniasis in Ordubad District, Nakhichevan ASSR]. / Vistseral'nyi leishmanioz v Ordubadskom raione Nakhichevanskoi ASSR.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) focus in the Ordubad District of the Nakhichevan ASSR has become active for the last years. Complex study of the focus, performed in 1985-1987, allowed to establish the following: VL causative agent, circulating in the Ordubad District belongs to the Leishmania infantum species. It was identified by isoenzymatic analysis (for 12 enzymes) and the Adler serological test. Disease cases prevailed in the upper part of the town of Ordubad and were confined to a small area (4 adjoining streets). Little children (up to 2 years old) prevail among patients. Spatial distribution of the disease correlated with indirect EIA data on healthy urban population (3116 persons examined) and stray dogs (152 animals examined). Mean percentage of positive assay results for the titers ranging from 1:80 to 1:20 was 8.0, for human population of Ordubad, and 19.1 for the dogs. Ten Phlebotominae species were found in Ordubad and its suburbs: Phlebotomus (Laroussius) major, Ph. (L.) kandelakii, Ph. (Adlerius) halepensis, Ph. (A.) balcanicus, Ph. (Phlebotomus) papatasi, Ph. (Paraphlebotomus) sergentii, Ph. (Par.) caucasicus, Ph. (Par.) alexandri, Sergentomyia dentata, S. palestinensis. Authors suggest that stray dogs are reservoirs of infectious agents in the Ordubad focus, while Phlebotominae of the Laroussius and Adlerius subspecies are disease carriers, the disease being regarded as a Mediterranean form of visceral leishmaniasis.

Natural foci of leptospirosis on the territory of the north-eastern part of the east mountain range of Azerbaijan and their characteristic.

Numerous natural foci of leptospirosis infection in which Ap. sylvaticus and M. musculus play the role of the main source, were found on the territory of the north-eastern part of Azerbaijan's east mountain range. The leading place in the aetiological structure of leptospirosis of small mammals is occupied by leptospirae of the serological group Hebdomadis. As a rule, the animals -- Leptospira-carriers -- populate damp biotopes where stable natural foci of disease are formed. Two types of natural foci were established on the given territory, i. e., the marshy-bush type and the mountain-stream type. The foci are characterized by several hosts and several serotypes of Leptospira.