Anthrax in the Republic of Tatarstan (1920–2020)

Abstract

The aim of the work was to characterize the epidemiological and epizootic situation on anthrax among population and animals in the Republic of Tatarstan over a period of 1920–2020.Materials and methods. The analysis of the epidemiological and epizootic situation is based on the archival data, epidemiological maps of anthrax patients, results of epizootiological-epidemiological survey of anthrax foci conducted by the Rospotrebnadzor Administration in the Republic of Tatarstan and Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Republic of Tatarstan, materials of the Main Directorate of Veterinary Medicine of the Republic of Tatarstan. Microbiological studies of samples from patients and environmental objects were performed in accordance with the requirements of MR 4.2.2413-08 “Laboratory diagnostics and detection of anthrax pathogen”, real-time PCR was set using the AmpliSense Bacillus anthracis-FRT test-system (Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Moscow). Statistical data processing was carried out using the quantile ranking method.Results and discussion. There are more than 1000 anthrax soil foci in the Republic of Tatarstan, which territorially belongs to the Volga Federal District. Analysis of the epizootic and epidemiological situation in the Republic of Tatarstan over the period of 1920–2020 has revealed that it has undergone significant changes, from mass diseases in animals and humans in early 20th century to sporadic cases of infection among population and animals at the beginning of the 21st century, primarily due to preventive veterinarysanitary measures, including veterinary and sanitary examination of animal products, mass specific immunization of animals against anthrax, arrangement of anthrax cattle burial grounds. In view of the improvement of epizootiological situation and implementation of preventive measures, there was a decrease in the incidence of anthrax among the population. The regions of the Republic have been ranked by the number of animal anthrax cases.