[The epizootic characteristics of tularemia in the Crimea]. / Osobennosti épizootii tuliaremii v Krymyu.

Cases of tularemia were registered in the Crimea both before and after planned immunization. In 1981-1993 in 4.000 localities 35,100 mammals, 27,400 ectoparasites, 8,800 feces left by birds of prey and foxes and 900 environmental specimens were studied. 137 Francisella tularensis strains were isolated. Field mapping of the spread of F.tularensis and places of habitation of small mammals was carried out. The active polyhostal natural focus of tularemia was found to exist on the Kerch Peninsula, less affected by anthropogenic factors, where tularemia morbidity among humans, and tularemia epizootic coincided with the maximum rises in the number of myomorphs. The core of the focus constituted 2.4% of its area and were characterized by the stable complex of Ixodes ticks and the preservation of F. tularensis in the environment. In other regions of the flat part of the Crimea with considerable anthropogenic transformations of the landscape rises in tularemia epizootics and tularemia morbidity in humans were rare. In the mountainous part of the Crimea tularemia epizootics were registered only by the detection of specific antibodies and antigens.

[Isolation of halophilic vibrios from humans and the environment]. / Vydelenie galofil'nykh vibrionov ot liudei i iz ob"ektov vneshnei sredy.

Both biotypes of halophilous vibrios, V. parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus, have been found to cause intestinal diseases among the inhabitants of the littoral localities of the Crimea. These diseases mostly assume the form of acute gastroenteritis and alimentary toxic infections. Most frequently people contact infection by using sea food. It is suggested that the etiological unraveling of intestinal infections may be improved by introducing the method for the isolation of halophilous vibrios into laboratory practice.