[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.

[Supervision of the sanitary-helminthological state of soil in the inhabited areas of Moscow].

In accordance with the normative and methodical documents [3-5, 7-9], a complex of organizational, sanitary, and antiepidemic actions is performed to protect soil from causative agents of parasitic diseases in Moscow. About 2000 soil samples are annually taken from the playgrounds of children's educational establishments and apartment houses and tested. The soil contamination averages 3.2%. It has been established that there are no sanitary-and-epidemiological opinions as to the parasitic safety of sand or lids on the sand-boxes on the playgrounds from which the soil or sand samples show causative agents of parasitic diseases (most commonly toxocariasis) and which are accessible to stray and domestic dogs. In 2005, DESINBAC super having bactericidal, fungicidal, sporocidal, and virocidal activities and ovicidal properties was approved for soil disinfection in the Russian Federation. The prevention of toxocariasis is a state problem. Executive bodies, housing-and-communal services, veterinary stations, and health care services with the participation of sanitary-and-epidemiological facilities and their control must take part in solving this problem.

[The current canine and feline parasitic diseases situation in the megapolis of Moscow].

The paper describes the epizootic situation associated with parasitic diseases in dogs and cats in the megapolis of Moscow. The situation becomes particular dangerous in the dogs kept in the flats of the city's dwellers wherein 30 (28%) out of the 107 dogs examined have been found to be infested with T. canis, T. leonine, T. vulpis, Taenia sp., D. caninum, and two protozoan species: Cystoisospora canis and C. ohioenensis. Out of the 80 cats examined, there are 22 (27.5%) infested cats. T. mystax, T. leonine, Taenia sp., and Cystoisospora felis are detectable in this group of the animals. This situation constitutes a serious hazard in the infection of the city's population with zoonoses.