Application of Geoinformation Technologies for Assessment of the Epizootiological and Epidemiological Situation on Anthrax in the Volgograd Region

Objective of the study was to assess the epizootiological and epidemiological situation on anthrax in the Volgograd Region in the period of 1920–2019, to zone the territory according to the degree of disadvantage as regards anthrax using geographic information technologies. Materials and methods. The reporting data of the Rospotrebnadzor Administration, Veterinary Committee in the Volgograd Region, and literature sources were studied. ESRI-ArcGIS 10 software was used as a GIS-platform. Epizootic index was applied in the zoning according to the degree of disadvantage regarding anthrax in the territories of the region. Results and discussion. Currently, 529 stationary potentially hazardous as regards anthrax areas have been registered in 33 districts of the Volgograd Region, 53 anthrax burial sites are accounted for in 20 districts. During the period of 1970–2019, 226 cases of infection of farm animals and 37 cases of anthrax among humans were detected. Most of the stationary potentially hazardous as regards anthrax areas (347 sites, 66 %) were formed in 1930–1949. Maximum activity was observed in 1930–1959. The zoning of the territory of the Volgograd Region was carried out using ESRI-ArcGIS 10 software, as a result of which the municipal districts were divided into four groups according to the degree of disadvantage regarding anthrax. The potential of different soil and landscape zones in the persistence of the anthrax microbe was studied. It has been found that chernozem, chestnut, dark-chestnut soil types, which occupying more than 50 % of the total region area and predominate in the zones of moderately arid and dry steppes, alongside alluvial meadow soils of river valleys, floodplains of rivers are very favorable for the persistence of the anthrax pathogen. The territory of the Volgograd Region is endemic for this infection and epizootiological and epidemiological well-being in the region largely depends on the completeness and timelines of preventive measures. The use of geographic information technologies provides a comprehensive analysis of the infection activity manifestations with reliable improvement of the anti-anthrax surveillance system and control in making differentiated managerial decisions

Epidemiological and Epizootiological Situation on Anthrax around the World in 2021, the Forecast for 2022 in the Russian Federation

A generalized analysis of the epidemiological and epizootiological situation on anthrax in the world in 2021 is presented. Provided is the forecast for the Russian Federation for 2022. In 2021, two cases of cutaneous form of anthrax were recorded in Russia among population living in the Siberian (the Republic of Tuva) and the North Caucasian (the Republic of Dagestan) Federal Districts. Epizootiological and epidemiological instability due to the infection was manifested in neighboring countries – Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine. Anthrax among farm and wild animals was registered in a number of countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America, and Australia. Human cases were noted mainly in Africa (Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, China) and Asia (India, Indonesia, Iraq), and were caused by the contact and/or alimentary pathways of transmission of the pathogen as a result of forced slaughter of sick and/or butchering of fallen farm animals, consuming meat of sick and fallen cattle. The level of anthrax incidence among farm animals and humans in the Russian Federation in 2022 will be predetermined by the completeness of the implementation of regulated preventive measures, and, provided the strict introduction of comprehensive epizootiological and epidemiological surveillance, will be limited to sporadic cases of infection

New Genetic Markers for Molecular Typing of Bacillus anthracis Strains

Objective: Identification of new markers for the molecular typing of Bacillus anthracis. Materials and methods. The genomes of 16 B. anthracis strains from the collection of the Stavropol Research Anti-Plague Institute, 11 B. anthracis strains and 5 strains of Bacillus cereus from GenBank were investigated. The methods of in vitro and in silico analysis of canonical and whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), genome regions with variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) were used for the analysis. Results and discussion. It has been established that there are deletions and (or) SNPs in some of B. anthracis strains of the main genetic lineage B, within the homologous genes of the tri-cistronic operon gerH, which encodes spore germination proteins. gerA genes contain the Bams34 VNTR locus, the sizes of genes in different strains vary due to the different number of tandem repeats and the presence of indels, which suggests the variability of GerA spore germination proteins. In the area of reverse primer annealing, some of them have several SNPs or deletions, which makes impossible PCR amplification of the Bams34 locus. Previously not described VNTR locus, SNPs and indels in sequences of plasmids pXO1 and pXO2, as well as SNP in chromosomal gene of glycerol-3-phosphate transporter were identified. Two pairs of PCR primers for the variable regions of the plasmids were designed. VNTR-locus, SNP and indels in sequences of plasmids pXO1 and pXO2 are suitable genetic markers for the differentiation of typical virulent diplasmid strains belonging to the main genetic lineages of B. anthracis A, B and C. The allele T of SNP within chromosomal glpT gene is specific for one of two strains isolated during the outbreak of anthrax and distinguishes it from all other strains of B. anthracis

Analysis of the Situation on Anthrax in 2019, the Forecast for 2020

The results of the analysis of epidemiological and epizootiological situation on anthrax in the Russian Federation and in the world in 2019 are presented in the paper. The forecast of morbidity rates in the Russian Federation for 2020 is made. In 2019, five cases of cutaneous anthrax were registered in the Russian Federation in two regions of the North Caucasian Federal District – Republic of Dagestan (4) and Stavropol Territory (1), which is two cases plus as compared to 2018. Outbreaks of infection among livestock animals and humans were recorded in such neighboring countries as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The unfavorable epizootiological situation on anthrax was observed almost everywhere. The highest incidence rates among wild and livestock animals were found in a number of countries in Asia and Africa. Anthrax among people was registered mainly in African countries, infection occurred mainly by alimentary route, less often – through contact with carcasses, meat of animals. Anthrax morbidity rates among animals and humans in the Russian Federation in 2020 will be largely determined by the completeness of registration and coverage with specific immunization of livestock animals and groups of people under professional risk of infection and, if measures are fully implemented, incidence will not exceed single cases

Review of the Epizootiological and Epidemiological Situation on Anthrax around the World in 2020 and the Forecast for 2021 in the Russian Federation

A review of the epizootiological and epidemiological situation on anthrax in the world in 2020 was carried out. In the Russian Federation, five cases of human infection with cutaneous anthrax were registered in the entity of the North Caucasian Federal District – the Republic of Dagestan. A challenging situation was noted in the territory of border states – Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine. Epizootics of anthrax among livestock and wild animals were identified mainly in African countries. At the same time, the largest number of confirmed human cases was detected in Africa (Zimbabwe, Kenya) and Asia (Indonesia). The infection of individuals with the causative agent of anthrax was primarily associated with the ingestion of meat from sick and dead anthrax animals, contact with animals during forced slaughter, skinning and processing of contaminated meat. The incidence of anthrax in the Russian Federation in 2021 will be determined by the realization of the planned volumes of preventive measures and, provided they are properly implemented, will be limited to identifying sporadic cases of infection that are potentially possible within the limits of certain regions of Russia

Epidemiological Situation on Anthrax in 2018, the Forecast for 2019

Analysis of the anthrax incidence in the Russian Federation over the period of 2009–2018 showed that the infections among the population were recorded in 14 regions of 6 Federal Districts. 23 anthrax outbreaks among people were revealed, where 90 people got sick with 3 lethal outcomes. In comparison to the previous ten-year period (1999–2008), the number of cases of the disease was reduced by 1.6 times. Three cases of cutaneous anthrax were registered in two constituent entities of the Russian Federation in 2018 – the Republic of Dagestan (1) and the Republic of Tyva (2). Outbreaks of infection among livestock animals and people were recorded in such neighboring states as Georgia, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine. Epizootiological and epidemiological instability as regards anthrax was observed in several countries of Asia and Africa. Human infection occurred as a result of contact with sick and dead animals in the process of slaughter and cutting of carcasses, consuming infected meat. Anthrax morbidity rates among animals and people in the Russian Federation in 2019 will depend on the comprehensiveness of implementation of the plans for anthrax prevention, and in case those plans will be realized at the maximum scale incidence will be limited to single cases