Epidemiologic Situation by Natural-Foci Infections in the Crimea Federal District in 2014 - 2015

Abstract

Aim. Analysis of epidemic manifestations of natural-foci infections (NFI), clarification of spectrum of their causative agents, determination of epizootic activity of natural foci in the Crimea Federal District (KFD). Materials and methods. Epizootologic examination of 10 administrative districts of KDF was carried out. 291 pools (2705 specimens) of ixodes ticks and 283 samples of organs of small mammals were studied by PCR method for the presence of DNA/RNA of causative agents of a number of NFI. Results. Morbidity by NFI in KFD was registered by 6 nosologies: Lyme borreliosis, Marseilles fever, leptospirosis, tularemia, intestine yersiniosis and tick-borne viral encephalitis, wherein, transmissive infections made up 91.6%. Circulation of causative agents of Crimea hemorrhagic fever, Q fever, group of tick-borne spotted fever, Lyme borreliosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, West Nile fever, tularemia and leptospirosis was established. Conclusion. Due to activity of natural foci of NFI further monitoring of epidemiologic and epizootologic manifestations of these infections in the Crimea, including using genetic methods of analysis, is necessary for ensuring sanitary-epidemiologic welfare of KFD population.

History and Current Status of Mediterranean Spotted Fever (MSF) in the Crimean Peninsula and Neighboring Regions along the Black Sea Coast

“…The first formally recorded fatal cases due to R. conorii in Crimea were diagnosed in 1996 as a part of MSF outbreak investigation in the Saki region [ 66 ]; 31 cases were identified, including 2 fatalities involving elderly patients. Although access to modern laboratory diagnostic methods is generally not available for most clinical diagnostic labs, 7 out 14 Crimea MSF cases were confirmed with PCR in 2014, and all cases were mild to medium severity [ 67 ]. Only one severe illness was diagnosed among fourteen MSF cases reported in 2015 [ 67 ].…”

“…Although access to modern laboratory diagnostic methods is generally not available for most clinical diagnostic labs, 7 out 14 Crimea MSF cases were confirmed with PCR in 2014, and all cases were mild to medium severity [ 67 ]. Only one severe illness was diagnosed among fourteen MSF cases reported in 2015 [ 67 ]. According to recent observations, a severe course of MSF and prolonged recovery are commonly observed among Crimean patients aged over 50 years with preexisting heart ischemia and a history of myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, heart failure and chronic obstructive bronchitis, as well as in individuals suffering from chronic alcoholism and homeless persons [ 63 , 64 ].…”

Features of Distribution and Spread of <I>Hyalomma marginatum</I> (Acari, Ixodidae) Ticks in the Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever Focus in the Territory of Russia

“…вид H. marginatum является многочисленным и широко распространенным во всех ландшафтных зонах крымского полуострова [32,33]. нами в крыму найден в черноморском, сакском и ленинском районах, где индекс встречаемости на крс составлял более 70 % [34,35]. в белогорском, судакском, алуштинском, бахчисарайском и ялтинском районах, занимающих горную часть крыма, индекс встречаемости на крс составлял более 80 %, а доля от всех собранных видов клещей достигала 18 % (наши данные).…”