A new outbreak of fox rabies at the Russian-Mongolian border Dear Editor, Lake Baikal and its neighboring territories are an intermediate zone for the "steppe" and "arctic-like" rabies virus lineages in Russia. After the elimination of dog-mediated rabies during the early 1980s, this area remained rabies-free for over 25-30 years. A sudden reappearance of rabies occurred in this zone in the Republic of Buryatia in 2011-2012. A marginal part of the Mongolian steppe penetrates the Siberian taiga forests in this area, and human and animal rabies have been repeatedly recorded in the Republic of Buryatia from the end of the nineteenth century till 1981. Among the various animals of this region, rabies was documented mainly in dogs, farm animals, and occasionally in wolves, but never in foxes (Botvinkin et al., 2008).The surveillance of animal rabies was performed by the regional veterinary service using data from the local veterinary laboratory. The first case of recurrence of rabies in the Republic of Buryatia was documented at the end of February in 2011 (Zakamensk district, N50°25′27′′ E104°8′44′′) and the last case in 2011 was confirmed in a dog in the middle of April. No other suspected cases were reported until the beginning of 2012. However, in February 2012 rabies re-emerged in the same area. The disease was diagnosed predominantly in wild canines (61%) while some cases were also diagnosed in cattle. All these cases were registered in the narrow valley of the Dzhida River in the forest mountain region.The rabies cases of 2011 were documented in two distinct locations about 30 km apart. The following year, several new cases were recorded around the previous locations with the most distant point being 80 km to the west from the place of the first cases. The Republic of Buryatia has a common border with Mongolia where rabies is known to occur in wild as well as domestic animals (Blancou, 2008;Boldbaator et al., 2010), and all cases recorded in the Republic of Buryatia during 2011-2012 occurred within 30-40 km from the Mongolian border. The nearest areas in the Asian part of Russia (Krasnoyarsk region and Republic of Tyva) that are affected by fox rabies are located more than 500 km to the north-west and are separated from the Republic of Buryatia by high mountain ridges and cannot be a source of infection for the Republic of Buryatia area.

в 2017 г. прогноз эпизоотической активности 11 природных очагов чумы на территории российской Федерации полностью оправдался [6]. эпизоотии чумы зарегистрированы на территории горно

Выполнена комплексная микробиологическая, молекулярно-генетическая и масс-спектрометри ческая идентификация штамма Yersinia pestis основного подвида, который был изолирован в июне 2012 г. впервые за все время обследования Алтайского горного природного очага чумы. Установлена высокая универсальная вирулентность этого штамма. Результаты плазмидного скрининга, мультилокусного VNTR-и масс-спектрометрического анализов продемонстрировали, что этот штамм наиболее близок к варианту возбудителя чумы, циркулирующему на территории природного очага Хуух-Сэрх-Мунх-Хаирхан, Баян-Ульгийский аймак, Монголия. Ключевые слова: возбудитель чумы, основной подвид, Алтайский горный природный очаг чумы, Yersinia pestis, вирулентность, плазмидный скрининг, мультилокусный VNTR-анализ, масс-спектрометрический анализ.

целью исследований являлась оценка состояния паразитарных систем и активности природных очагов чумы российской Федерации в 2016 г. и разработка эпизоотологического прогноза на 2017 г. в 2016 г. эпизоотии чумы выявлены на территории кош-агачского района республики алтай и монгун-тайгинского, овюрского и тес-хемского кожуунов республики тыва на общей площади 1692,6 км 2 . выделено 87 штаммов чумного микроба, в том числе от грызунов и зайцеобразных -31, от блох -47, от вшей -7, от иксодовых клещей -2. обоснован эпизоотологический прогноз на сохранение в 2017 г. напряженной эпидемиологической обстановки в кош-агачском районе республики алтай и в монгун-тайгинском, овюрском и тес-хемском кожуунах республики тыва. для снижения эпидемических рисков разработаны комплексные планы профилактических мероприятий. на территории остальных природных очагов чумы эпизоотических проявлений не ожидается. только в прикаспийском песчаном очаге на территории лаганского и черноземельского районов республики калмыкия сохраняется веро-ятность находок единично зараженных животных в осенний период 2017 г.Ключевые слова: природные очаги чумы, эпизоотическая активность, эпизоотологический прогноз, штаммы чумного микроба, носители и переносчики чумы, профилактические мероприятия, эпидемио-логическая опасность. Objective of the study was to evaluate the state of parasitic systems and activity of the natural plague foci of the Russian Federation in 2016 and to develop epizootiological forecasting for 2017. In 2016 epizooties of plague were registered in the territory of the KoshAgach District of the Altai Republic and Mongun-Taiginsky, Ovyursky, and Tes-Khemsky Kozhuuns of the Republic of Tyva. The total area coverage was 1692.6 km 2 . Isolated were 87 strains of plague microbe, including the isolates from rodents and lagomorphs -31, from fleas -47, lice -7, and Ixodidae ticks -2. Verified has been epizootiological forecast for the year 2017, which shows that epidemiological situation will remain tense. In order to reduce the epidemic risks, comprehensive plans of preventive activities have been developed. In the territory of the other natural foci epizootic manifestations of plague are not expected to occur. Only in PreCaspian sandy focus, situated in the territory of Lagan and Chernozemelsky Regions of the Kalmyk Republic, probability of the singly infected animal findings during the autumn season, 2017 is retained.Key words: natural plague foci, epizootic activity, epizootiological forecasting, plague microbe strains, carriers and vectors of plague, prophylactic measures, and epidemiological hazard. Conflict of interest:The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The results of epizootiological surveillance in 11 plague natural foci in the territory of the Russian Federation in 2010 are presented in this review. The short-term prognosis of foci epizootic activity is performed based on the analysis of data on epizootic activity, the conditions of plague carrier and vector populations, and abiotic factors influence on their living conditions.