Vol 16, No 1 (2026)

The Unified Information and Analytical System (UIAS) of Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being is the information basis for epidemiological surveillance, a database for monitoring the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the epidemic process at various levels of its organization. Processing and analyzing this information within the diagnostic subsystem of epidemiological surveillance requires the application of appropriate principles and technologies.

Objective. Development of the concept for the digital transformation of the analytical subsystem of epidemiological surveillance based on big data systems.

Results. A conceptual structure of an analytical subsystem for epidemiological surveillance consisting of several functional system blocks: database management, operational analysis, intelligent analysis, presentation of results to the user, and decision-making is proposed. It is advisable to implement operational and intelligent analysis methods as separate software modules. Challenges in the digital transformation of the analytical subsystem for epidemiological surveillance are identified.

Conclusion. The solution to the complex challenges of digital transformation of the analytical subsystem for epidemiological surveillance must be planned, supported, implemented, and monitored as early as the technical specifications stage. The key points of the digital transformation concept for the analytical subsystem for epidemiological surveillance include the selection of its technological foundation, the definition of a modular architecture, a set of digital transformation tools, both internal and external, and interconnections, as well as the establishment of the digital potential for subsystem development.

Objective. Analysis of the incidence of non-invasive and invasive forms of pneumococcal infection in Russia from 2012 to 2024.

Materials and methods. Descriptive statistics were used. Data from state statistical records from 2012 to 2024 and data from the Russian Reference Center for Bacterial Meningitis Monitoring for 2023–2024 were analyzed.

Results. The long-term average annual incidence rate of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Russia was 457.6 per 100,000 population. The highest rate was recorded in children aged 1–2 years (1,503 per 100,000). By 2024, an upward trend in CAP incidence was observed. The highest long-term average annual rates in children aged 1–2 years were recorded in the Far Eastern Federal District. In the etiological structure of CAP, cases without an established etiology predominate. Among cases of CAP with an established etiology, bacterial ones predominate (26.3%), of which pneumococcal ones account for 5.9%. The long-term average annual incidence rate of pneumococcal pneumonia is 7.1 per 100,000. The incidence increased by 2023, with the highest rates noted in the Northwestern, Volga, and Siberian Federal Districts. The highest incidence of pneumococcal meningitis was observed in children aged 0–4 years.

Conclusion. The CAP incidence, which had declined after the COVID-19 pandemic, began to increase by 2024. However, the incidence of pneumococcal pneumonia has increased. The incidence of pneumococcal meningitis is also trending upward. The etiologic interpretation of cases of pneumococcal pneumonia remains low.

Objective. Identification and analysis of key risk factors for hepatitis A (HA) in the Republic of Tatarstan for the development of targeted preventive measures in the region’s low-endemicity context.

Materials and methods. Statistical forms No. 1 and 2 “Information on Infectious and Parasitic Diseases” for 2004–2024, No. 23 “Information on Infectious Disease Outbreaks,” and annual reporting forms were used.

Results. Long-term dynamics of hepatitis A incidence in the Republic of Tatarstan demonstrate a steady decline with a 5–10-year cyclicality (3.7 ± 0.3 per 100,000 population in 2004–2024 versus 200.0 in 1980–1990). The age structure of incidence is dominated by children and adolescents (average rate of 6.1 ± 1.8 per 100,000), which distinguishes the region from national trends. Nine cluster outbreaks with 206 victims (62.1% children under 18) were recorded, spreading through both waterborne (33.3%) and household contact (66.7%) routes. The proportion of victims in cluster outbreaks was 7.3% of all cases.

Conclusion. Hepatitis A outbreaks are dominated by household contact outbreaks (57.4%). Factors contributing to the formation of cluster outbreaks include utility accidents, the importation of infection from other regions, and violations of sanitary and hygienic regulations in organized groups. Vaccination of risk groups and contacts creates an effective immune barrier in outbreaks. Given the prevalence of household contact transmission in multiple outbreaks, public health education remains a priority.

Objective. Assessment of the structure of primary infectious disease incidence among healthcare workers (HW).

Materials and methods. The infectious disease incidence in all HWs in the Republic of Tatarstan was studied from 2014 to 2020. Using data from the emergency notification form for infectious diseases received for all diagnosed cases, the primary morbidity structure was analyzed.

Results. 3,749 cases of infection were identified, with COVID-19 being the predominant cause, including: carriage of SARS-CoV-2 – 50.8% (95% CI 49.14–52.40), respiratory diseases – 13.6% (95% CI 12.47–14.69), intestinal infections – 11.4% (95% CI 10.44–12.51) and viral hepatitis – 9.9% (95% CI 8.93–10.87), carriage of pathogens of infectious diseases – 4.4% (95% CI 3.72–5.05) and viral infections characterized by lesions of the skin and mucous membranes and other viral diseases – 3.8% (95% CI 3.17–4.42), mycoses – 2.1% (95% CI 1.70–2.65) and tuberculosis – 1.9% (95% CI 1.53–2.44), other viral hemorrhagic fevers – 1.2% (95% CI 0.85–1.57), pediculosis, acariasis and other infestations – 0.5% (95% CI 0.26–0.72), other bacterial diseases – 0.3% (95% CI 0.13–0.49) and zoonoses – 0.05% (95% 0.01–0.19), diseases caused by spirochetes – 0.2% (95% 0.07–0.38); viral fevers transmitted by arthropods, including hemorrhagic fevers, –0.03% (95% 0.00–0.15).

Conclusion. The high proportion of infections in the structure and the lack of registration of occupational forms indicate the need to refine approaches to prevention, study susceptibility, establish the link between disease and occupation, and develop diagnostic criteria for healthcare-associated infections among healthcare workers.

Objective. Analysis of the severity and mortality rates by gender and age in patients with novel coronavirus infection during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the experience of a large medical organization in the Ryazan Region.

Materials and methods. A retrospective study involving 19,223 patients with COVID-19 registered in the patient registry of the N.A. Semashko Regional Clinical Hospital of the Ryazan Region from January 31, 2020, to November 19, 2024 was conducted. Age and gender characteristics, disease severity, and mortality in the cohort were analyzed.

Results. Women accounted for 62.4% of the cases, while men accounted for 37.6%, with a predominance of women in all age groups. The highest proportion (29.1%) of cases were in the 61–74 age group. The likelihood of hospitalization increased in patients over 45 years of age. Women predominated among inpatients (56.4%), but the hospitalization rate for men was higher. The overall mortality rate in the cohort was 3.9%. Across all age groups (except 18–24 years), mortality was higher among men and increased with age. The majority of deaths occurred among inpatients (13.96%). The risk of developing severe forms of the disease in the entire cohort increased with age and peaked in older age groups. Men in the entire cohort were significantly more likely to have moderate, severe, and extremely severe disease.

Conclusion. The obtained data are consistent with the results of international studies emphasizing the influence of patient age on the incidence, severity, and mortality of novel coronavirus infection; however, they have specific characteristics within the healthcare organization.

Staphylococci are ubiquitous gram-positive microorganisms. Based on their ability to coagulate mammalian blood plasma, bacteria of the Staphylococcus spp. genus are divided into two clusters: coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS), which include only one species, Staphylococcus aureus, and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), which comprise a significant number of species (over 40). Until recently, pathogenic characteristics were attributed only to S. aureus. However, since the early 1990s, information on nosocomial outbreaks associated with CoNS has become available. Representatives of this genus, like S. aureus, have recently demonstrated resistance to methicillin (oxacillin). Although most species of the Staphylococcus spp. genus are symbionts of human biotopes, their pathogenic potential has been increasing in recent years. Epidemiological monitoring of the circulation of Staphylococcus spp. bacteria in the population and the study of the mechanisms underlying their resistance to environmental factors, including hospital environments, are necessary to predict the evolution of this genus of microorganisms and determine their significance in the etiology of nosocomial purulent-septic infections in the modern world.

Dengue fever remains a major and rapidly growing public health challenge in Southeast Asia, accompanied by a substantial and increasing socioeconomic burden. These trends underscore the need for effective, integrated, and region-specific strategies for dengue prevention and control. This review provides a structured overview and comparative analysis of established and emerging approaches to both specific and non-specific dengue prevention. With regard to specific prophylaxis, currently licensed vaccines and vaccine candidates under development – Dengvaxia (CYD-TDV), TAK-003, and Butantan-DV are discussed, with emphasis on their efficacy across different serological profiles, age-related limitations, safety data, and regulatory status. In addition, recent advances in pre-exposure and post-exposure chemoprophylaxis are examined, including studies on riamilovir, a broad-spectrum antiviral agent active against RNA viruses. Non-specific prevention strategies addressed in this review include contemporary vector control approaches targeting Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, such as chemical insecticides, biological agents (including Wolbachia and Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), genetic modification of mosquitoes, the sterile insect technique (SIT), and the use of drones for targeted treatment of mosquito breeding sites. The role of educational and community-based interventions aimed at increasing public awareness and promoting behavioral change in endemic settings is also highlighted. By integrating perspectives from immunization, antiviral pharmacology, vector biology, and biotechnology, this review adopts an interdisciplinary approach to dengue prevention and emphasizes the practical incorporation of these strategies into existing healthcare systems. The article may be of interest to specialists in epidemiology, infectious diseases, global health, and professionals involved in the design and implementation of arboviral disease prevention programs.

The novel coronavirus infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus remains a significant public health problem. Further study of the pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease, its complications, as well as the development and improvement of approaches to personalized therapy and patient rehabilitation remain relevant. Therefore, the search for approaches to correcting intestinal microbiome disturbances as part of the comprehensive treatment of COVID-19 is particularly important. The use of probiotics is considered a promising approach in this context.

Objective. Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of the combined probiotic Covirvin (AB21 D+) in COVID-19 convalescents.

Materials and methods. The study involved 100 patients — 59 men and 41 women. 42 of them received a probiotic supplement, 1 capsule daily for 30 days, after completing inpatient treatment. Clinical, laboratory, immunological, microbiological, instrumental, and statistical methods were used.

Results. The probiotic complex Covirvin (AB21 D+) demonstrated significant clinical efficacy: it reduced the severity and alleviated clinical manifestations of the disease, reduced the severity of systemic inflammatory changes, and restored the balance of the intestinal microbiome (increased normal symbiotic flora and reduced the number of opportunistic bacteria).

Conclusion. The study results demonstrate the effectiveness of the probiotic mixture Covirvin (AB21 D+) containing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Pediococcus acidilactici, and vitamin D₃. Its use helps reduce systemic inflammation, normalize the microbiome, and significantly improve patients’ quality of life. This opens up prospects for the development of pathogenetically based, microbiome-focused approaches to COVID-19 therapy, including the prevention of post-COVID complications and restoration of immune homeostasis.