[Results of studies of human dirofilariasis in Russia].

Human dirofilariasis is a pressing health problem in Russia. By 2014, there have been as many as 850 Dirofilaria repens-infested people living in 42 subjects of the Russian Federation. One of the favorable factors for circulation and spread of invasion is a temperature of above +20-24 degrees C; when the latter is maintained during at least 20 days there may be 1.-1.5 circulations of invasion in the carrier and a 2.8-fold increase in transmission intensity. The border ofa dirofilariasis area with a temperate climate is southward to 58 degrees N in European Russia and West Siberia and southward to 50 degrees N in the Far East. The conditions in the human body have been found to be more favorable for the development of Dirofilaria than considered before and allow the helminth to achieve sexual maturity and to propagate. If man has microfilaremia, he may be a source of invasion. It is necessary to examine venous blood by the enrichment method and, if possible, polymerase chain reaction and enzyme immunoassay, which make it possible to establish a diagnosis in occult invasion and to identify a pathogen species.

[The spread and epidemiological value of mosquitoes (Diptera, Psichodidae, Phlebotominae) of the Caucasus].

The Caucasus mosquito fauna was studied on the basis of the papers published in the 20th century. Due to the new classification developed by M.M. Artemyeva, the presence of 17 mosquito species: P.papatasi, P.sergenti, P.caucasicus, P.alexandri, P.jacusieli, P.kandelakii, P.neglectus, P.per-filiewi, P.tobbi, P.transcaucasicus, P.wenyoni, P.balcanicus, P.brevis, P.halepensis, S.dentate dentate, S.palestinensis, and S.hodsoni pawlowskyi should be considered most significant. The ecology of the mosquito species that are of medical importance is described. Maps of the spread of the mosquitoes that are of epidemiological importance have been complied on the basis of the materials by different authors on the registration of specific mosquito species in the human settlements of the Transcaucasia and North Caucasus. The spread of mosquitoes in the North Caucasus remains inadequately studied today.

[Dirofilariasis in the Moscow Region, a low disease transmission risk area].

The spread of canine and human dirofilariasis was first studied in the Moscow Region, a low disease transmission risk area. D.repens infestation was found to have a tendency to increase in Moscow residents with the imported cases being predominant. In 33 (84.6%) districts of the Moscow Region, dogs were registered to have D. immitis and D. repens infestation, with the former being preponderant in 31 districts. An original map of dirofilariasis distribution was compiled with the areas being singled out at a distance of Moscow: 15-20 km (6 districts) (the first ring); as long as 70 km (11 districts) (the second ring), and over 70 km (16 districts) where infestation rates greatly varied in both the number of infected animals and human beings and the species of causative agents.

[Prevalence of human dirofilariasis in Russia].

The nature of regional zoning of the prevalence of dirofilariasis in Russia was first established and a map reflecting the structure of an area with the identification of three zones (low, moderate, and stable transmission risks) was drawn up. In Russia, natural and climatic conditions are favorable for the development of transmitting mosquitoes and larvae of Dirofilaria to the invasion stage in the body of the transmitter to the south of the latitude of 58 degrees north in the European part and Western Siberia and to the south of the latitude of 50 degrees north in the Far East. The region of dirofilariasis covers 53 subjects of the Russian Federation, in 39 subjects (including 29 in the European part and 10 in the Asian part) of which 564 cases of dirofilariasis were notified in 1915-2008. 68.44% of dirofilariasis cases were registered in the endemic area in 11 subjects of the Russian Federation in the stable transmission risk zone while in the moderate and low transmission risk zones these amounted to 31.55% in 28 subjects. Information on the area of dirofilariasis is needed to estimate its incidence in man in different regions of Russia, which will assist in diagnosing this zoogenous transmissible helminthiasis.

[Formation of the synanthropic foci of dirofilariasis in Russia].

Investigation of the formation of urban synanthropic foci of dirofilatiasis in an area of large accumulations of dogs is of scientific and practical interest due to the increased number of infested inhabitants of large towns.

[Landscape-epidemiological zoning of Turkmenistan by leishmaniasis].

Based on the long-term (1961-1992) study of the parasitic systems of zoonotic cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in the context of a landscape, the authors made an epidemiological regional and typological zoning of Turkmenistan. Regional zoning identified 13 districts by zoonotic cutanenous leishmaniasis and 6 districts by visceral leishmaniasis. While typologically zoning according to the human hazard ofzoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, the authors divided the landscapes of Turkmenistan into 5 groups: hyperendemic; mesoendemic; hypoendemic; enzootic by cutaneous leishmaniasis, but not dangerous to man; nonenzootic by cutaneous leishmaniasis and not dangerous to man. While typologically zoning with respect with visceral leishmaniasis, the authors divided them into 4 groups: epidemically hazardous landscapes of sandy deserts and semisavanna low-mountain of South-Eastern Turkmenistan; epidemically hazardous landscapes of foothills, low-mountains, and middle mountains of Kopetdag; epidemiologically potentially dangerous landscapes of the piedmont plain of Kopetdag and the valley of the Murgab river; nonenzootic landscapes in terms of visceral leishmaniasis, and those not dangerous to man.

[Current ascariasis situation in the Russian Federation].

In the Russian Federation (RF), ascariasis remains to be the most common geohelminthiasis, in children in particular. With its overall reduction, the prevalence of ascariasis is very uneven on the RF territory. In the past 15 years, from 1991 to 2004, there was a steady-state decrease in the incidence of ascariasis from 79.5 to 46.0 per 100,000. Its incidence rates remained higher than the average Russian ones in 33 RF subjects and lower than those in 48 subjects and began reducing in 8 subjects in the past 4 years. Of the 33 RF subjects wherein the incidence rates were constantly greater than the average Russian ones, 27 subjects are located in the natural background-favorable areas. In the past 15 years, there was an increase in the impact of socioeconomic factors on the higher incidence of ascariasis: the population's migration; the delivery and transport of Ascaris egg-contaminated greens, vegetables, berries; the development of hothouse gardening, and, as a result, the occurrence of ascariasis in the northern areas of the country, as well as the use of discharged waters for soil fertilization to grow crops. The territory of Russia was first epidemiologically districted in the context of ascariasis, by taking into account the natural background and socioeconomic factors. The area of ascariasis is on the rise. In all RF subjects, public health and social security bodies should constantly keep in mind the problem in ascariasis control and prevention.

[Human dirofilariasis in the Moscow region]. / Difiliarioz cheloveka v Moskovskom regione.

Dirofilaria repens Railliet et Henry, 1911 was for the first time studied in the Moscow Region where 11 patients (6 males and 5 females) aged 4-72 years were recorded in 2000-2002. The geographical distribution (the southern and south-eastern parts of the region) of local cases of dirofiliriasis, was observed. There was a relatively high rate of D. repens in the male genitalia of the infected patients as compared with that reported by other authors. In accordance with the current terminology, D. repens in the Moscow Region is proposed to be regarded as emerging infection. The authors show it necessary to obligatorily record all autochtonous cases of D. repens infection, to make epidemiological surveillance and analysis in order to early detect and prevent dirofilariasis-associated complications.

[The spread of Phlebotomus papatasi Scop., 1786 through the territory of Central Asia and southern Kazakhstan]. / Rasprostranenie Phlebotomus papatasi Scop., 1786 po territorii Srednei Azii i Iuzhnogo Kazakhstana.

The data on distribution of the main vector of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) Phlebotomus papatasi through Central Asia and southern Kazakhstan are presented. The highest indices of density of this species (100 and more specimen per stick trap) were observed only in the Tejen oasis, rather high ones (1-10, 10-100) in the river valleys and at the foothill, and the lowest one (0.01-0.1)--over the desert territory where ZCL was not practically found. Using these data 2 maps were prepared. The first map shows the pattern of Ph. papatasi geographical distribution with the use of a relative density index. This map can be useful for determining ZCL danger in areas where Ph. papatasi occurs. The second indicates sandfly distribution over Karshi steppe territory the where Ph. papatasi density depends on soil moisture. This map can serve as a model for forecasting Ph. papatasi density under anthropogenic influence.