The increase in the incidence of syphilis in the Russian Federation: foreign migrant citizens as a risk group for the spread of the disease

Relevance. The incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has a serious impact on the health and lives of children, adolescents and adults. Syphilis, like most STIs, is a socially significant disease, while among the factors influencing the spread of this infection, migration processes, including labor migration, occupy a special place. Aims. To study syphilis in foreign migrants in the Russian Federation and individual subjects of the state in recent years. Material and methods. A retrospective epidemiological analysis of the incidence of syphilis among the population of the Russian Federation and foreign migrants was performed. The data from Federal Statistical Monitoring Form No. 9 and No. 34 was used with reference to STIs incidence in 2011–2022 in Russia and in its regions. Results. Among foreign migrant citizens, the incidence rates were higher than the Russian average: 1.5–2.0 times before 2020, and 4 times in 2021 and 2022. The proportion of registered cases of syphilis among foreign citizens in 2021 was 36.4%, significantly exceeding this figure not only in 2020 (18.2%), but also in previous years (16.7–21.2%). An increase in the number of foreign citizens with syphilis was observed in 2021 in all federal districts of the Russian Federation, while the number of syphilis cases detected in this contingent of people varied significantly between different regions of the Russian Federation. The main share (98.1%) in the structure of syphilis detected in foreign citizens was latent forms of the disease. Conclusions. The high level of detection of syphilis in foreign migrant citizens and the predominance of latent forms of the disease in this population represent a potential epidemiological danger of the spread of infection. In connection with the current situation, it seems necessary to develop and implement permanent and controlled algorithms for monitoring STIs in risk groups, including foreign migrant citizens

A rare form of leishmaniasis, identified in the Russian Federation

Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis is a rare form of cutaneous leishmaniasis characterized by an inadequate immune response of the host cells to parasitic invasion (weak T-helper (Th)1 response or Th2 response with the production of interleukin IL-4 and IL-10). The characteristic features of the disease include diffuse nodular eruption, masquerading as leprosy and a frequent association with immunosuppression (HIV co-infection, for example). The Russian Federation is a non-endemic country for leishmaniasis, but this disease can be brought into the country by tourists, immigrants, refugees and military personnel. A clinical case of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis and HIV co-infection is presented. The patient was a citizen of Uzbekistan, a country endemic for leishmaniasis. The authors were unable to find domestic scientific publications describing cases of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis detected in the Russian Federation. The presented clinical case of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis in a patient with HIV is the first in the Russian literature

Case report of leprosy in the Russian Federation

A clinical case of leprosy diagnosis in a citizen of the Republic of Chad (lepra-endemic region), а 24 year old male, student is presented. In 2019 the patient received permission to stay in the Russian Federation for educational purposes, entered one of the federal universities, and studied in Moscow, living in a hostel. During these years, he applied to various clinics, complaining of skin rashes and other symptoms characteristic of leprosy, without the effect of the prescribed treatment. In 2023, after contacting the clinic of skin diseases of the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), was first sent to the The Federal State Research Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology of the Ministry of Health of Russia with suspicion of leprosy. The results of clinical and laboratory studies including bacterioscopic examination of skin scarifications and pathohistological study of the skin confirmed the diagnosis: A30.5 Leprosy, multibacterial form, lepromatous type, active stage. This case presentation testifies to the lack of alertness regarding leprosy, especially among doctors conducting medical examinations of foreign citizens in order to obtain permission to stay in the Russian Federation, which may cause the spread of dangerous infectious diseases on the territory of the Russian Federation

Efficacy and safety profile of minocycline in patients with urogenital chlamydia infection: results of an open randomized comparative clinical trial

Background. Urogenital chlamydia infections is a widespread STI, 131 million people are infected every year. Despite the absence of a reliable correlation with respect to antimicrobial resistance of chlamydia strains to tetracyclines, macrolides and fluoroquinolones in vitro and in vivo, scientists are studying the issue of reducing the sensitivity of the pathogen to traditionally used drugs and are investigating the effectiveness of antibacterial drugs active against Chlamydia trachomatis. One of the drugs with high anti-chlamydia activity is minocycline. Aims. To study the efficacy and safety of the minocycline (Minolexin®) in the treatment of urogenital chlamydia infection in comparison with the doxycycline (Unidox Solutab®). Methods. An open randomized comparative clinical trial included 100 patients: group 1 — 50 patients who received minocycline 100 mg 2 times a day for 7 days, group 2 — 50 patients who received doxycycline 100 mg 2 times a day in within 7 days. The diagnosis was confirmed by the detection of C. trachomatis by PCR. The parameter of the effectiveness of therapy was the eradication of C. trachomatis and the absence of clinical symptoms 4 weeks after therapy. Results. 1 week after therapy, clinical symptoms were registered in 20; 40.8% patients of group 1 and 28 (57.1%) patients of group 2 (p = 0.106), 4 weeks later — in 4; 8.2% patients of group 1 and 7 (18.4%) patients of group 2 (p = 0.524). In group 1, the absence of most subjective clinical symptoms was recorded in a shorter time than in the comparison group. 100% of patients had achieved eradication C. trachomatis, laboratory signs of an inflammatory reaction were recorded in 2 (5.0%) patients of group 1 and 3 (7.3%) patients of group 2 (p = 1,000). According to the frequency of adverse drug events, there were also no significant differences between the compared groups, however, in group 2 patients, adverse drug events that had a high probability of being associated with taking the drug were recorded more often than in the group of patients receiving minocycline. Conclusions. The results of the study demonstrated the comparable effectiveness of minocycline and doxycycline in the treatment of urogenital chlamydia infection and a similar safety profile of these drugs

Real-World Clinical, Psychosocial, and Economic Burden of Atopic Dermatitis: Results From the ESSENTIAL AD Multicountry Study

Abstract Introduction Limited real-world evidence exists about the burden of atopic dermatitis (AD) in patients receiving systemic or non-systemic therapies in clinical practices. ESSENTIAL AD was an observational study that aimed to fill this information gap. Methods ESSENTIAL AD enrolled (September 2021–June 2022) adult patients with physician-confirmed AD that was routinely managed with systemic and non-systemic treatment in a real-world setting from 15 countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Primary outcome variables were Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) assessed during one office visit. Results A total of 799 enrolled patients fulfilled selection criteria and were included in the study. Patients mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 36.3 (14.4) years, 457 (57.2%) were female, and the majority of patients were white (647 [81.0%]). Mean (SD) time since AD diagnosis was 17.6 (15.2) years (median 16.5; interquartile range [IQR] 3.3–26.8). The mean (SD) EASI, SCORAD, and DLQI total scores were 11.3 (11.3 [median 8.1; IQR 3.6–15.8]), 37.8 (17.9 [median 35.5; IQR 24.2–49.0]), and 10.6 (7.2 [median 10.0; IQR 5.0–15.0]), respectively. Patients receiving systemic treatment had significantly higher disease burden (mean [SD] EASI 13.3 [13.0]; median [IQR] 9.6 [3.9–17.9]) versus non-systemic treatment (mean [SD] 9.3 [8.7]; median [IQR] 6.8 [3.0–13.2]; P < 0.0001). Results were similar for SCORAD (39.9 [19.6] vs 35.6 [15.7]; median [IQR] 38.6 [24.7–53.1] vs 32.6 [23.9–44.6]; P = 0.0017), and DLQI total scores (11.4 [7.4] vs 9.9 [6.9]; median [IQR] 11.0 [5.0–16.0] vs 9.0 [5.0–14.0]; P = 0.0033, respectively). Conclusion Patients with AD continue to have substantial disease burden despite treatment with systemic therapy, suggesting that a need for effective disease management remains, including effective therapies that improve psychological outcomes and reduce economic burden of AD, in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa