EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SITUATION ON Q FEVER IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION (DURING YEARS 2013-2022)

Abstract

A retrospective epidemiological analysis of Q fever incidence that was conducted for the whole territory of the Russian Federation during years 2013 - 2022 revealed annual variation in the number of infection cases - from 8 cases of infection (0.0050/0000) in 2020 to 286 cases (0.190/0000) in 2019., a long-term average totaled 0.070/0000. Registration of Q fever incidence in different Federal districts and constituent entities of the Russian Federation was uneven. The largest number of the disease cases were registered in the Stavropol krai, Astrakhan, Voronezh, and Rostov oblasts. Q fever incidence in Astrakhan oblast was ranked highest among all constituent entities of the Russian Federation. No cases of the infection were detected in two Federal districts during the specified period of observation – in the Ural and Far Eastern Federal districts. It has been established that Q fever incidence in other Federal districts of the Russian Federation was recorded during all months of the year with highest indices registered from May to August. Patients were most often presented by workingage men whose work was related to agricultural labor including animal care. A necessity of introduction of additional surveillance measures for monitoring Q fever incidence among human population as well as establishing prevalence of the pathogen among animals in the future is advisable.