Aim. Identification of epidemiological patterns of the SARS-CoV-2 spread among the population of St. Petersburg during the one-year COVID-19 pandemic period.Materials and methods. The performed analysis focused on the dynamics of COVID-19 cases in St. Petersburg from 2/3/2020 to 4/4/2021 and on the gender-age profile of patients. The information about patients (age, gender, type of the disease, hospitalization, social, and occupational status) was obtained from the database containing the materials from statistical data form No. 058/u.Results. After one year, the dynamics of reported cases of COVID-19 in St. Petersburg shows two cycles of seasonal surge (spring and autumn-winter) and 8 epidemic periods. It has been found that there are no gender-age differences among COVID-19 patients, which can be seen from the relatively similar number of cases among men and women per 100,000 people in each age group during specific epidemic periods. The strong association between clinical manifestations of COVID-19 and the patients' age was detected: Severe cases were more frequently diagnosed in patients over 70 years, regardless of their gender identity. Based on the social and occupational status, the people who were most exposed to the COVID-19 epidemic process were retirees and people whose occupation was associated with health and safety of St. Petersburg. Among the COVID-19 patients, retirees accounted for 13.69% (men) and 17.67% (women). The proportion of healthcare workers was 3.67% (men) and 9.41% (women).Conclusion. It has been assumed that COVID-19 tends to be a seasonal disease featuring annual autumn-winter epidemic cycles. The study addressed prospects of preventive vaccination against COVID-19 in Russia and the importance of tracking the complications pathogenetically associated with the acute phase of the disease in the system of epidemiological surveillance.

Epidemiological data on infections associated with medical care in surgical hospitals are presented. The features of the epidemic process of infections associated with Klebsiella spp. were studied among the patients of surgical profile. The study of the etiological structure in hemocultures in 33% of cases revealed the predominance of Klebsiella spp. In patients with a surgical profile, the incidence of Klebsiella spp. has increased over the past 10 years in wound content from 0,4 to 8,3% and in 7,7% of cases - in hemocultures. Significant resistance of Klebsiella spp. strains was detected currently used in the clinical practice of surgical hospitals antibacterial drugs. The highest sensitivity among Klebsiella spp. strains antimicrobial resistance was detected in the group of carbapenems. The structure of the epidemic process of infections caused by Klebsiella spp. is considered among patients of surgical clinics in 2018. In 32% of cases, the infectious process was localized in the lower respiratory tract, in 25% of cases - in the urinary tract, in 22% of cases - in the blood and in 21% of cases - in the area of surgical intervention. The results obtained do not differ significantly from the data obtained in other medical organizations in the country. The need for a comprehensive approach to microbiological monitoring and the appointment of antibacterial therapy for infections associated with the provision of medical care in surgical hospitals has been established. For example, the «Strategy for controlling antibacterial therapy» developed by the Russian Association of specialists in surgical infections, which is well-established in several dozen large hospitals in the country, is being more widely introduced into medical practice.

The article presents data on the prevalence of viral hepatitis B and C in 6 St. Petersburg multidisciplinary hospitals in 2005 -2010 on the results of laboratory tests for the same period, taking into account an annual sample of 185,211 people. The most intense epidemic process of hepatitis И was found in staff and inpatients of hemodialysis units. Among the staff and the surgical inpatients the incidence of viral hepatitis B and C was 7 times smaller than that in inpatients and staff of hemodialysis units. In therapeutic departments the rate of viral hepatitis was 2-4 times lower. The high level of HBsAg and other markers of hepatitis B and anti-HCV has been detected in inpatients in gastroenterological departments, extremely rare - in the staff.

The most frequent sources of microbial flora inside the eye are the ocular surface, foci of para-ocular infection of the patient. In vitreous samples from eyes with endophthalmitis microorganisms are revealed that are the saprophytic flora of the ocular surface. It is mainly represented by staphylococci, from which epidermal staphylococcus prevails quantitatively. Immunodeficiency states, diabetes mellitus, terminal liver and kidney diseases increase the risk of endophthalmitis development. Eradication of opportunistic pathogenic flora in the source loci, sanation of para-ocular infection, correction of somatic pathology by profile specialists is more relevant for endophthalmitis prevention. The problem of growing antibiotic resistance should also be considered. Thus, when selecting patients for surgery, one should be guided by the data on antibiotic resistance of the identified flora, pay attention to the presence of para-ocular infection and the systemic somatic status of the patient. This will provide a better vector for the development of recommendations for optimal prophylaxis.

Objective. To study bactericidal effect of continuous spectrum ultraviolet radiation on hospital flora and evaluate microbiological efficiency of using portable pulsed ultraviolet unit for disinfection of air and open surfaces in a medical organization. During the study, it was found that the selected research methods probably did not allow to achieve higher values of disinfection efficiency in shorter processing times.Materials and methods. The strains of microorganisms that were used for the study were taken from various loci from patients of the department of anesthesiology and intensive care for children with cardiac pathology on the first day of their transfer from various medical organizations, as well as museum strains from the collection of microorganisms of the laboratory. Single-use plastic Petri dishes with nutrient media in the laboratory were artificially contaminated with test strains. Air samples were taken during the work shift by aspiration using a Krotov’s apparatus. Wipes were taken with a sterile cotton swab dipped in nutrient medium.Results. No colonies of multiresistant K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, E. coli were detected in the samples as a result of exposure to a pulsed ultraviolet radiation source in a mode № 1; the efficiency of the action was 99.9–100%. With the regimen № 2 the efficacy was 83.33–99.9%. Assessment of microbiological efficiency of the disinfected open surfaces and air in a small operating room and a dressing room showed that the level of air contamination did not exceed the permissible level.Conclusions. It has been experimentally proved that pulsed UV radiation of broadband spectrum has high bactericidal activity against microorganisms of hospital environments.