Terminological Issues of Sanitary-Epidemiological Welfare Provision Both in Russia and on the Global Scale

Discussed is the build-up of a term “sanitary protection of the territories”. Regardless of commonly accepted definition of sanitation as a discipline that studies issues of public hygiene, sanitary protection of the territories, being for the most part an epidemiological phenomenon and an element of epidemiology, has maintained historically developed attribute “sanitary”. Demonstrated is the fact that variations in interpretation of the terms in the sphere of sanitary protection of the territories in various contexts of international intercourse (WHO and SIC) do not affect general concept of the issue and choice of ways for handling a problem as regards provision of sanitary-epidemiological welfare of the population. Objectives and content of the two notions formalized in IHR (2005), – “global epidemiological surveillance” plus “response measures” – predetermine their equivalence (in reference to the situations covered in the document), to the definitions “epidemiological surveillance” plus “sanitary protection”, applied to in the territory of CIS counties

REGARDING THE RISKS OF OCCURRENCE OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS IN THE SPHERE OF BIOLOGICAL SAFETY OF INTERNATIONAL CONCERN AND THEIR PREDICTORS

The paper presents the analysis of the current epidemiological situation from the viewpoint of identification of risks of emergency situation onset in the sphere of biological safety, which differs from the emergency situation of sanitary-epidemiological welfare in the character of after-effects that are comparable in the quality and the scale to the threats to national and international security. In reference to the parameters of emergency situation in the sphere of biological safety, epidemic of Ebola fever in West Africa countries (2013-2016) has been described. Biosafety emergency situation is most likely to be predicted in the following cases: occurrence of the flu pandemic of the novel subtype (International Health Regulations, 2005); intensification of unfavorable for public health tendencies against the background of Zika fever transmission; larde-scale failures in the provision of biological safety when working with pathogenic biological agents; foreseeable, hard to control consequences of onset and transmission of infectious diseases caused by microorganisms with synthetic genome; occurrence of epidemic events during international mass meetings; justified interpretation of emergency situation, applying IHR (2005), as an after-effect of violation of the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons (CBTW) and the grounds for intervention into the internal affairs of offending countries with social-economic, geo-political aftermaths and damage to the national security

Development of Instruction and Methodical Data Basis of the Institution as an Element of Biosafety Provision as Regards Works with Pathogenic Biological Agents

A set of documents concerning biological safety at the institutional level is prepared and put in to practice. Three levels of specialists` admission for works with pathogenic biological agents of the I-IV groups have been developed, substantiated and introduced. Considered are the variants of execution of coupled (simultaneous) work with PBA of different groups. The statement on control of disinfectants received by the institution defines the order of control execution as regards newly received disinfectants and correspondence of disinfectants` working solutions in the laboratories to the requirements of sanitary regulations. Demonstrated is practicability of the assessment of protective efficacy of air-cleaning filters in the exhaust ventilation systems of “contaminated” area rooms in the laboratories carrying out the works with PBA using bacterial aerosol and physical method

High frequency polarization switching of a thin ferroelectric film

We consider both experimentally and analytically the transient oscillatory process that arises when a rapid change in voltage is applied to a $Ba_xSr_{1-x}TiO_3$ ferroelectric thin film deposited on an $Mg0$ substrate. High frequency ($\approx 10^{8} rad/s$) polarization oscillations are observed in the ferroelectric sample. These can be understood using a simple field-polarization model. In particular we obtain analytic expressions for the oscillation frequency and the decay time of the polarization fluctuation in terms of the material parameters. These estimations agree well with the experimental results

Organizational and Methodological Aspects of International Cooperation for the Provision of Sanitary-and-Epidemiological Welfare of the Population

The study in question of the structure and content of international cooperation in the sphere of sanitary-and-epidemiological welfare of the population in its various formats – on the UN, WHO, “G-8”, CIS, EurAsEC, SCO, and BRICS levels, as well as within the frames of bilateral relations between the Russian Federation and Republic of Kazakhstan – has made it possible to develop a model of international intercourse organization characterized by such functional features as assessment of the epidemiological situation peculiarities and IHR implementation status, realization of global strategy for infectious diseases control, systemic modernization of methodology, technologies, materials-and-equipment resources as well as human assets and production of medical immune-biological preparations (MIBP), stationary network and mobile complexes for emergency response in order to level the interstate potentials for the provision of effective prevention, detection and monitoring over emergency situations in the sphere of sanitary-and-epidemiological welfare of the population (ES). Top-priority in the list of the ESs is given to novel emerging infectious diseases control as it primarily demands improvement of the informational–and–analytical prognosis–modeling base within the frames of epidemiological surveillance system and sanitary protection of the state territories. Great need in such type of projects is substantiated based on the examples of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic and West-Nile fevers control. Nevertheless, for the realization of the model, coordinating functional authority/agency is required

Present-Day Menaces and Challenges in the Sphere of Biological Safety and Strategy of Countermeasures

Considered is present-day nomenclature of menaces in the sphere of biological safety in the frames of broad-sense representation of this concept associated with infectious diseases. By the example of Ebola fever epidemic in West Africa, demonstrated is the fact that actual, new and spreading in the new territories infectious diseases which are attributed to the category of acute menaces, can create emergency situation in the sphere of biological safety. Such situation presents traits of unexpectedness, explosive growth of morbidity, high number of cases among health workers, high lethality, unpreparedness of the society for countermeasures (monitoring, treatment, prophylaxis, and control), severe social and economical consequences, indirect signs of probability of its intended origin, real menace for biological safety of the whole global community. Presented are variants of menaces that manifested as long-lasting (chronic) epidemics and pandemics (HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria) which have the highest social and economical impact. Considered is nomenclature of menaces that broaden the toolkit of biological terrorism means. The strategy of countermeasures implies systemic approach to prevention and response to acute menaces, reducing of social and economical consequences of their realization, thus achieving more effective control over aforementioned long-lasting problems, strict adherence to BTWC provisions

West Nile Fever Epidemic Situation in the Russian Federation Territory in 2011 and Prognosis of its Development

Presented is characteristic of West Nile Fever (WNF) epidemiologic situation in the Russian Federation in 2011. Expansion of the territories involved in the epidemic process and formation of the new WNF foci are observed. Data on WNF morbidity in June-October 2011 in ten regions of Russia are presented. Described are clinical and epidemiologic peculiarities of WNF morbidity in 2011. WNF agent markers are detected in the territory of 38 regions of Russia, suggesting its circulation on the vast areas of the country. Prognosis on WNF epidemic situation in the Russian Federation is considered to be dependent on many factors, climate warming being the most global one. Natural foci emergence and WNF cases registration are expected in the near future in the central regions of European part of Russia and forest-steppe area of Southern Siberia. WNF diagnostics improvement is thought to confer for better registration of the cases and detection of further enlargement of endemic territories

Issues of Scientific and Practical Support of Anti-Epidemic Activities in the Course of Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic Response in West Africa

Consideration is given to the experience of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Guinea in the matter of Ebola fever response. Outlined are the challenging issues regarding scientific support of preventive activities. Provided is a brief characteristic of Pasteur Institute of Guinea as a unique platform for research activities. Covered are the legal aspects of collaboration and priority areas for the development of common initiatives in the sphere of epidemiological monitoring. Identified are the stages of material reinforcement and medical stuff capacity building, including training of specialists with a view to the establishment of effective system for epidemiological surveillance

EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGULATIONS IN PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS OF SANITARY-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CHARACTER

The paper describes the International Health Regulations (2005), hereinafter referred as IHR (2005), by the example of SARS, A/H5N1/, A/H1N1/09, Zika fever, and MERS-CoV control as an effective tool for prevention and control of public health emergences (ES of sanitary-epidemiological character) of international concern. Late detection of Ebola fever epidemic in West Africa (2013–2016) and announcement of public health emergency of international concern at the time when epidemic up-scaled to a threat to national security of the affected countries and high-priority threat to global community (ES of biological character) is attributed to non-use of methodological capacities of IHR (2005) on verification of ES at an early stage of epidemic development because of unpreparedness of local, regional, national and international public health services to such an epidemic situation. WHO plans to achieve scientifically-based reduction of the time from the onset of epidemic events to the effective response measures. Russian Federation, scientifically implementing IHR (2005) from the very beginning and having devised methodology of IHR implementation on the national level, has a strong premise for scientific provision of this process

Epidemiological Peculiarities of Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic, 2013-2015 in West Africa Countries

Represented are the results of analysis of the on-going EVD epidemic, 2013-2015 in West Africa countries. Identified have been epidemiological peculiarities, the principal ones of which are: the scale of epidemic transmission; social factors of widespread occurrence; registration of EVD cases in the new territories of the African continent - West Africa (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra-Leone); genetic distinction between Ebola virus and the strains of the same virus, species Zaire ebolavirus, that caused previous outbreaks; prevalence of febrile syndrome over hemorrhagic; high risk of infection with EVD among the healthcare workers. Most probable carriers of Ebola virus may be fruit-bats of the three species - Hypsignathus monstrosus, Myonycteris torquata, and Epomops franqueti. Outlined are the key stages and factors of EVD epidemic development