В обзоре представлен анализ эпидемиологической ситуации в странах мира по COVID-19, за неделю с 31.12.2022 г. по 06.01.2023 г.

Community-acquired pneumonia is a polyetiological infectious disease of bacterial or viral nature. In most cases, it is caused by pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Legionella spp. However, despite that a wide range of modern diagnostic methods have been introduced into laboratory practice, the etiology of the disease can be determined only in 40–60% of cases. Here, we analyzed the causative agents of community-acquired pneumonia and relevant markers samples of clinical material collected from patients undergoing treatment in the medical facilities of the city of Saratov and the Saratov Region during the period from July to August, 2020, coupled to increase number of cases of new coronavirus infection COVID-19. Clinical material (oropharyngeal swabs, saliva, sputum, blood and blood serum) was obtained from 129 patients and investigated by using microbiological, immunoserological and molecular genetic methods. For this, there were used transport and nutrient media, diagnostic drugs, reagents, discs with antibacterial domestic and foreign drugs registered in the Russian Federation. As a result, 82 (63.6%) patients were found to have markers of the pathogen COVID-19 (viral RNA or specific antibodies of IgM and/or IgG classes), whereas 42% of cases had overlapped RT-PCR and ELISA data. There was a predominance of severe clinical forms of the disease in the group of patients with pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus (17.1%), compared with pneumonia of another etiology (12.8%). No marked differences in specific pattern of the accompanying microflora and its sensitivity to antibacterial agents were observed in persons with/without markers of COVID-19. While being examined by bacteriological methods, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, S. pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae, Acinetobacter spp., both in monoculture and in associations, were isolated from samples of clinical material collected from the majority of patients. In 49.6% of cases, pathogenic microflora, including pathogens causing community-acquired pneumonia, has not been identified, which may be due to the use of antibacterial drugs before the collection of clinical material and treatment applied due to comorbid chronic diseases.

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Objective of the study was to identify epidemiological peculiarities of HFRS outbreak in the territory of the Saratov Region in 2019 and to determine the key factors contributing to the intensity of epidemic process.Materials and methods. Analyzed are the data on 2702 cases of HFRS registered in the territory of the Saratov Region in 2019, obtained from the Rospotrebnadzor Administration in the Saratov Region and Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Saratov Region. The basic method of investigation was epidemiological one with application of advanced information technologies.Results and discussion. Retrospective analysis of epidemic HFRS manifestations in the Saratov Region showed that HFRS outbreak of 2019 was the largest over the period of disease reporting, both by the number of cases (2702) and by the duration. Early onset of increase in the incidence (may) and allocation of the majority of cases to the territory of the natural park “Kumysnaya Polyana”(75 %) should be considered as characteristic features of the outbreak. We have conducted epidemiological zoning of the Saratov Region allowing for dividing the Region into four types of territories which differ by the level of risk of HFRS exposure (very high, high, medium, and low), as well as distinguishing the most hazardous in terms of HFRS infection territories of Saratov. The key factors affecting the surge in HFRS cases were high numbers of infected rodents during spring months of 2019 due to mild and extremely snowy winter of 2018–2019; reduction in forest engineering works aimed at turning the focal territory into aesthetic forestry. The change in the character of exploitation of 9 % of the natural park “Kumysnaya Polyana” resulted in the increase of population contacts with natural-focal complexes. Mass visits to natural focus during early spring period against the background of low alertness to risks of HFRS infection led to explosive growth of HFRS incidence.

Objective of the study is to detect circulation of plague agent and agents of other zoonotic infections (tularemia, pseudotuberculosis, leptospirosis, West Nile fever, Lassa fever, Dengue fever, Chikungunya fever, CrimeanCongo hemorrhagic fever, Q fever, Hantaviruses, tick-borne encephalitis, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, granulocytic anaplasmosis, and borreliosis) among small mammals and their ectoparasites in the territory of seven northern provinces of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Materials and methods. We have carried out epizootiological survey of seven northern provinces of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lào Cai, Hà Giang, Lạng Sơn, Cao Bằng, and Quảng Ninh). Over the period of the study, 3400 trap/nights were accumulated, 179 specimens of small mammals caught, belonging to 10 species, 213 fleas of seven different species – collected, and 143 specimens of gamaside ticks falling under two species. The material gathered was investigated using enzyme immunoassay and polymerase chain reaction at the premises of mobile laboratory for monitoring and diagnostics. Results and discussion. Two-fold testing of 136 blood samples from small mammals revealed antibodies to F1 of Y. pestis in 14 (10.3 %) of them. Investigation of 158 samples of lung and kidney suspensions of small mammals showed that 22 (13.9 %) samples contained 16S rRNA of pathogenic leptospira, Leptospira spp. Analysis of 60 brain samples for the presence of Leptospira spp. revealed three (5.0 %) positive ones. 25 samples of gamaside ticks were tested for the presence of the DNA of Q fever, plague, tularemia and granulocytic anaplasmosis agents, and for the RNA of tick-borne encephalitis, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, and borreliosis agents. One sample (4 %) of gamaside ticks, Laelaps echidninus, contained RNA of Borrelia.