Organization of the Utility-and-Drinking Water Supply in the Inhabited Areas of the Amur Region in the Period of Emergency

Quality degradation of the utility-and-drinking water supplies in the Far Eastern Federal District in July-September 2013, as well as emergence of factors contributing to the development of extreme epidemiological situation required urgent implementation of measures to enhance surveillance and laboratory monitoring over drinking water supply in the populated areas of the Amur Region exposed to the flooding. Results of monitoring of drinking water from the water supply sources, distributing network, water transportation and storage tanks revealed the increase in numbers of samples, nonstandard in reference to sanitary-chemical, microbiological and virological indicator requirements and formed the premises for the analysis of the water supply conditions. Development and implementation of a complex of measures for the dynamic response to the changing conditions, including prohibition on the water source usage, introduction of the additional processes for water treatment and hyper chlorination allowed for minimization of risks of the epidemiological situation aggravation in the region

Population Notification Concerning Sanitary-Epidemiological Situation and Current Sanitary Anti-Epidemic Operations (Prophylactic Measures) in the Period of Flood in the Amur Region

Displayed are the results of work of the Rospotrebnadzor Administration in the Amur Region in view of the population notification concerning sanitary-epidemiological situation and current anti-epidemic operations under the emergency event preconditioned by the large-scale high water, 2013. In order to avoid aggravation of epidemiological situation in the region, Rospotrebnadzor Administration has performed provision of the exposed population in the devastated territories (including temporal accommodation sites) with the information on the significance of adherence to personal safety practices for infectious diseases prevention, of usage high quality drinking water only (boiled or bottled and distilled), of immunization against viral hepatitis A, typhoid fever and Sonne dysentery, of sanitation activities in the lodgings, back yards, wells, as well as of holding to the discipline of rodent-born infection prevention. On-time notification of the population under emergency conditions benefited to the reduction of risks associated with aggravation of sanitary-epidemiological situation in the exposed territories

Review of Hydrological Peculiarities of the Flooding in the Amur Region with the Purpose to Establish a Complex of Sanitary-Anti-Epidemic Actions for Minimization of Social Implications

Described are the chronology and main peculiarities of floods in the Amur Region within the historical period since 1872 till present time. Given are the data on the damage to the Amur-river territory economy as a result of catastrophic high waters in 1928, 1950s, 1984, 2007. Comprehensively discussed are the peculiarities of the flooding, August-September 2013 as one of the most intense and prolonged in the history of the hydro-meteorological observations in the Far East. It is found out that Zeisk and Bureisk hydroelectric power stations turned out to be the only buffer storage restraining two thirds of the water volume of Zeya and Bureya rivers inflow in their flowages over a period of flood. Outlined are the general guidelines for emergency response activities under high water conditions for the Rospotrebnadzor Administration Quarters in the Amur Region. Implementation of the complex of actions through the offices of the territorial Rospotrebnadzor institutions in cooperation with the executive authorities has allowed for the prevention of epidemiological implications, providing for favorable sanitary-epidemiologic situation at the time of high water

ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS OF THE LABORATORY STUDY OF THE MATERIAL FROM THE PATIENTS PROBABLY INFECTED WITH SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME

Plans of taking the material from patients with SARS or suspected SARS, its preparing for transport and delivery to special laboratories are presented. Expediency of genetic diagnosis of SARS on the base of regional State Surveillance centers is pointed

Possible association between corneal infections and contact lenses wearing to correct ametropia in children

Possible association between corneal infections and contact lenses (CLs) wearing of various design to correct ametropia in children was analyzed. Between 2011 and April 2014, 20 children (7 boys, 13 girls) aged 9‑17 years which were diagnosed with traumatic keratitis were admitted to Morozov Children’s Hospital. All patients used CLs (rigid, n = 1; soft, n = 9; orthokeratology, n = 10) to correct ametropia for 6‑48 months. There are pretty strong evidences that CLs (including orthokeratology ones) provide better quality of vision and life as compared with spectacles, reduce myopia progression, and promote better accommodation. However, in spite of these advantages, CLs have disadvantages as well. People who wear CLs may require frequent eye care specialist follow-up due to the higher risk of corneal disorders. Even nearly perfect CL represents a foreign body (especially for a children eye) that may provoke numerous complications including severe ones. With accurate fitting, proper care, and careful monitoring of the cornea, CLs should be safe and effective

Prophylaxis of Acute Enteric Infections and Viral Hepatitis A under Emergency Situation in the Territory of the Amur Region

Hydrological natural disasters and post-flooding epidemiological situation are often attended by epidemic emergencies creating a threat to life-comforts sustaining and sanitary-epidemiologic welfare of a significant number of citizens. To evaluate the efficiency of preventive and anti-epidemic measures the analysis of acute enteric infection incidence rate in the Amur Region for the past decade, during the high water and in the post-flooding period in 2013 has been carried out. Displayed are the data concerning the prophylaxis of acute enteric infections and viral hepatitis A under the conditions of the emergency situation caused by natural calamities notably by flood in the Amur Region. Adequate planning and operative implementation of organizational, preventive and anti-epidemic measures have made it possible to control acute enteric and viral hepatitis A infection at the sporadic level

Retrospective Analysis of Enterovirus Infection Morbidity Rate in the Territory of the Amur Region and Peculiarities of Epidemic Process in the Period of Large-Scale Flood

There has been observed a tendency to increment of enterovirus morbidity rate over the past seven years. Foci of this infection have been formed in the area from time to time, with minor forms of the disease being predominant in clinical findings. Genetically enteroviruses circulating in the Amur Region have been characterized as homogenous; however there is a genetic relation among them with and, consequently, epidemiologic connection to enteroviruses originated from China. However, since May, 2013 there has been detected a boost activation of epidemic process as regards enteroviral infection, followed by the formation of two major foci with clustered infection, due to importation from Thailand as well. Emergency situation under conditions of flood (August-September, 2013) has contributed to aggravation of epidemiological situation on enteroviral infection. It has led to the increase in numbers of the exposed up to the maximum level for the past few years. In the territory of the temporal accommodation sites, where affected by high water and exposed to the infection population was placed, registered have been the cases of clustered enterovirus infection

Results of Immunological Screening for Natural-Focal and «Exotic» Infectious Diseases among Certain Population Groups of the Khabarovsk Territory, the Amur Region and the Jewish Autonomous Region

Displayed are the results of examination of immuno-competent local population of the Khabarovsk Territory, the Jewish Autonomous Region, the Amur Region, as well as foreign residents living and temporarily working in the areas, on a wide range of natural-focal bacterial and viral infectious diseases including the causative agents of some “exotic” infections too. Investigations have been carried out with the participation of experts from the specialized anti-epidemic team No. 1 (Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute), who worked in the Amur Region, and a group of laboratory-epidemiological specialists from the team No. 2 - deployed in the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region during the flooding in August-September 2013. The total of 1335 blood sera samples has been tested using serological methods. The findings have revealed the presence of immuno-competent population in the three regions of the Far Eastern Federal district in reference to the agents of natural-focal infectious diseases: tularemia, leptospirosis, yersinioses, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, tick-borne borrelioses, tick-borne viral encephalitis, Californian encephalitis serogroup, Sindbis, West Nile and Dengue fevers. Circulation of Batai and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever viruses has not been revealed based on serological assays

Concerning Preventive Activities Providing Control over Morbidity Rates in Reference to Flue, ARVI, and Community-Acquired Pneumonia in the Amur Region in the Post-Flooding Period

It is supposed that after exposure to impacts of the large-scale high water on the background of chronic persistent stress, immune activity of the organism is decreased, which may lead to sanitary-epidemiological implications and contribute to morbidity rate increment as regards a number of relevant nosological entities among the population of the devastated territory. Statistically community-acquired pneumonias are still one of the key factors for infectious morbidity, hospitalization and mortality rate in the region. They are indicators for organization of medical assistance to the population. Therewith, evaluated has been morbidity rate in reference to acute respiratory viral infections and community-acquired pneumonias in the Amur Region for the past three years, assessed has been epidemiological situation throughout 2013. Morbidity rate as regards community-acquired pneumonias in the Amur Region over the surveyed period (2010-2013) has turned out to be two times higher than the national one, and 60-70 % - than that throughout the Far Eastern Federal district. In order to avoid distribution of the acute respiratory viral infections, flue, and community-acquired pneumonias and epidemic foci formation in the territory of the Amur Region in the post-flooding period, established is a complex of sanitary-anti-epidemic (prophylactic) and remedial measures. Besides of that, identified are the main areas of activities aimed at stabilization of the situation as a long term strategy