Introduction: Tobacco and nicotine use is a risk factor for noncommunicable diseases, malignant neoplasms, and a severe course of infectious diseases. This factor, however, is manageable and can be modified through prevention programs allowing for trends and specifics of the use of tobacco and nicotine products.

Objective: To analyze patterns of tobacco and nicotine product use among the adult population of the Russian Federation in 2019–2024.

Materials and Methods: The analysis was performed using microdata from the Sample Health Survey, a representative national survey of adults conducted in 2019–2024. We calculated the proportions of tobacco/nicotine consumers using smoking and smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, vapes, and heated tobacco products, as well as the intensity of their use in the entire adult population, men, women, and different age groups. Dynamic changes were assessed by identifying trends in time series of indicators using a linear approximation method and calculating the statistical significance of the model coefficients.

Results: In 2019–2024, the prevalence of tobacco/nicotine use among the adult population decreased from 39.9 % to 36.5 %. In men, it went down from to 24.0 % to 22.3 %, while in women it remained at the level of 10 %. The rate of decrease in smoking tobacco use among men (15.4 %) was lower than that in women (23.2 %), while the increase in nicotine product use among women was thrice as high as among men. The rise in nicotine product use was considerable in adults under 40 and almost null in those aged 60 years and over.

Conclusion: The findings demonstrate a sustainable decrease in tobacco and nicotine product use over the study period; yet, young people and women remain high-risk groups. 

Introduction: The health of children living in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation is shaped by severe natural and climate conditions and specific social factors, which may lead to higher incidence rates and requires consideration of regional differences when planning preventive measures.

Objective: To identify territorial differences, determine structural disease profiles, and develop a typology of regions by the level of disadvantage for differentiated planning of preventive measures based on data on disease incidence among children aged 0–14 years living in the Russian Arctic for 2015–2024.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using official statistics on incidence rates of 16 disease categories among children aged 0–14 years from nine regions of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation. For each region, median rates for 2015–2024 were calculated. To develop the typology, an integral scoring approach was applied.

Results: Pronounced interregional heterogeneity in both the rates and structure of incidence was revealed. The group of most disadvantaged regions included the Arkhangelsk Region, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, and the Republic of Karelia (integral score: 108–114); the group of moderately disadvantaged territories included the Murmansk Region, the Republic of Komi, and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (70–79 points), while that of relatively favorable regions included the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the Krasnoyarsk Krai, and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (43–56 points). The differences between the polar groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The specific structural profile of incidence was established for each typology group.

Conclusion: The developed typology of Arctic regions by incidence rates in children and structural profiles of pathology enables differentiated planning of preventive measures and targeted allocation of healthcare resources within the Russian Arctic. 

Introduction: Being one of the most common worm infections in the structure of parasitic diseases, enterobiasis represents a significant sociomedical challenge, particularly relevant for children.

Objective: To analyze the incidence of enterobiasis in the child population of the Russian Federation in 2010–2024 and to establish regional features and the main trends in the disease spread.

Materials and Methods: The incidence rate (per 100 thousand population or %000) was calculated using statistical data for 2010–2024. The strength of the incidence trend was assessed by the growth rate (%): baseline (Kt b ), chain (Kt), and average annual (Тnp) rates using the least squares method (Tnp). Non-normally distributed quantitative variables were tested using nonparametric methods. A value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used for region grouping.

Results: The findings showed a significant decrease in the incidence of enterobiasis in both the general and child population. Over the reporting period from 2010 to 2024, the incidence rate in the general population demonstrated a 1.7-fold decrease from 168.3 %000 to 100.3 %000, while that in children dropped by 1.8 times from 873.3 %000 to 482.9 %000. The highest rates were observed among preschoolers aged 3–6 (1,233.9 %000) and schoolchildren aged 7–14 (890.6 %000), and registered in the Vologda Region, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Jewish Autonomous Okrug, Udmurt Republic, Arkhangelsk Region, Komi Republic and Perm Krai. The North Caucasus Federal District was noted for the lowest incidence rate of pinworm infection.

Conclusion: The study has demonstrated that Enterobius Vermicularis infection remains relevant as a socially significant problem requiring further improvement of the system of preventive measures, especially in the regions with high activity of the epidemic process. 

Introduction: Drinking water is a strategic resource. Assessing its quality parameters is essential for ensuring the hygienic safety of the population.

Objective: To identify priority chemical parameters and disadvantaged territories in terms of drinking water quality for developing measures of primary prevention of waterborne diseases in the population.

Materials and Methods: We used data retrieved from the regional public health surveillance information fund to analyze the results of testing 4.2 thousand water samples taken at 175 monitoring sites in 34 administrative territories of the Voronezh Region for six priority chemical parameters by comparing them with the current water quality standards. Methods of descriptive statistics were applied to assess data distribution.

Results: The analysis of discrete data series of chemical parameters of drinking water quality showed their high variability, pronounced right-sided asymmetry and positive kurtosis, all indicating their abnormal distribution associated with frequent minima values at the lower sensitivity limit of laboratory testing techniques and strong variations in all indicators between the regional areas. We constructed variation series based on exceedances in total hardness (43.46 % of the samples), total iron (4.46 %), nitrates (2.47 %), manganese (1.61 %), boron (0.35 %), and fluorides (0.07 %). We also identified territories and monitoring sites with exceedances registered. A statistically significant moderate correlation was found between total water hardness and the incidence of urolithiasis in the adult population (r = 0.36, t_test. = 2.33 > t_table = 2.04, α = 0.05).

Conclusion: For primary waterborne disease prevention in the areas of concern, it is essential to make drinking water meet standards for water quality; the population should use home water filters. 

Introduction: The problem of the widespread growth of toxigenic cyanobacteria in water supply sources necessitates the development of appropriate programs and strategies aimed at monitoring the quality and safety of water contaminated with cyanotoxins.

Objective: To analyze current data and international experience in monitoring and predicting cyanotoxin contamination of drinking water and water supply sources.

Materials and Methods: The study materials included Russian and foreign scientific articles retrieved from full-text databases (Scopus, PubMed, and eLIBRARY.ru) and regulatory documents issued in 2007–2026. The analysis of 65 selected publications and 10 regulatory documents was carried out by systematizing and summarizing the data.

Results: Toxigenic cyanobacterial strains and the toxins they produce are ubiquitous in water sources of the Russian Federation. Routine methods of water treatment do not ensure complete removal of cyanotoxins from drinking water. Current bloom monitoring programs are based on measuring photosynthetic pigment concentrations and counting the number of cyanobacterial cells. Several studies have demonstrated the predictive value of using techniques of molecular genetics to detect toxigenic genes when assessing water contamination with cyanotoxins. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is the most affordable and sensitive method for determining cyanotoxin levels in drinking and source water.

Conclusions: The review of recent research findings and international experience has given us an insight into cyanotoxin contamination of drinking water and sources of household and recreational water use and helped identify potential areas for improving the existing water quality and safety monitoring system using a methodological tool for predicting and quantifying toxin levels in both drinking and source water. 

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has become a serious challenge to educational systems worldwide. The relevance of this study is determined by the need to understand long-term effects of pandemic stress on the professional development of medical workers.

Objective: To conduct a comprehensive analysis of the impact of COVID-19-related stress on the cognitive functions and academic performance of medical students.

Materials and Methods: From September 2022 to May 2023, we conducted a survey of 150 second and third-year medical university students aged 19–21 years. The main (experimental) group consisted of 100 students who studied during the peak of the pandemic (2020–2021), while the control group comprised 50 students who entered the university after the epidemiological situation had normalized. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), our self-developed questionnaire on stress factors, neuropsychological tests, and the analysis of academic performance were used.

Results: High stress levels (PSS-10 ≥ 20) were detected in 78 % of the students in the main group against 35 % in the control group (p < 0.001) while clinical anxiety was observed in 42 % versus 18 %, respectively (p < 0.001). The dominant stressors were professional (4.2 ± 0.7 points) and academic (3.9 ± 0.8 points). In the main group, short-term memory decreased by 25.6 % (p < 0.001), attentional concentration worsened by 66.7 % (p < 0.001), and logical thinking productivity dropped by 22.0 % (p < 0.001). The mean grade point average (GPA) in the main group was 3.8 ± 0.4 versus 4.5 ± 0.3 in the controls (p < 0.001). A strong negative correlation was found between stress and academic performance (r = –0.74).

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in stress and anxiety among medical students, as well as to persistent impairments in cognitive functions and a decline in academic performance, which necessitates the development of psychological and pedagogical support programs. 

Introduction: Rotavirus infection is of greatest importance among acute gastrointestinal disorders. In children under five, rotavirus is a common cause of hospitalization for severe diarrhea. Despite introduction of a rotavirus vaccine in Russia in 2014, vaccination coverage in some regions remains low.

Objective: To identify major manifestations of the rotavirus epidemic process in Blagoveshchensk, Amur Region, and urgent issues to be addressed in epidemiological surveillance for this infection.

Materials and Methods: Using standard methods of statistical analysis, we compared the time spans of 2011–2017 and 2018–2025 defined as the pre- and post-vaccination periods. The patients with rotavirus were grouped by age (< 1 year of age, 1–2, 3–6, 7–17, and 18 years and older).

Results: A strong upward trend (+28.7 %) in rotavirus incidence was observed in Blagoveshchensk in 2011–2017, which dropped to an average of +7.3 % after the vaccine was launched. In 2018–2025, we observed a shift in the start of the rotavirus epidemic season from November to January and its shortening from six to five months. Besides, we noted a significant rise in rotavirus incidence among preschool and school children over the same period (from 970.95 (95 % CI: 797.4–1,161.4) to 1,549.04 (95 % CI: 1,323.2–1,792.4) and from 159.34 (95 % CI: 115.3–210.5) to 316.58 (95 % CI: 253.9–386.2) cases per 100 thousand population, respectively).

Conclusion: Issues of sufficient rotavirus vaccination coverage among infants, etiological diagnosis of infection at the outpatient stage, and constant surveillance of circulating rotavirus genotypes need to be resolved in the city of Blagoveshchensk. 

Introduction: P. aeruginosa belongs to ESKAPE pathogens, which are highly resistant to antimicrobials and pose a significant public health challenge. Pseudomonas is characterized by its ability to form biofilms on various environmental surfaces (especially in humid environments), which protect the pathogen from antibiotic exposure. To detect P. aeruginosa in environmental samples, current regulatory documents require the use of a culture method using laboratory-prepared Bonde’s culture medium.

Objective: To develop a dry Bonde nutrient medium to detect Pseudomonas aeruginosa in environmental samples.

Materials and Methods: The current regulatory and methodological documents regulating the use of Bonde nutrient media for the accumulation of P. aeruginosa are analyzed. The experiments used strains of test microorganisms obtained from the State Collection of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (SCPMCC-Obolensk). The studies were carried out according to the methods described in MG. 4.2.2316–08. To assess sensitivity and determine the effectiveness of media, we used target strains of pseudomonads at a 10–7 dilution as well as non-target strains at 10–4 and 10–5 dilutions to evaluate the inhibitory properties of the media. Subculturing from the Bonde medium to Gloss (“Blesk”) medium and nutrient medium No. 1 was carried out using the Gould sector sowing method. The isolates from simulated samples were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry.

Results: We created a dry modified Bonde medium promoting a faster growth of P. aeruginosa. It demonstrated high sensitivity enabling the detection of low amounts of the bacteria (10 CFU/mL) and high inhibitory capacity against associated microbes (10,000 CFU/mL). The modified Bonde medium was 1.7 to 4.8 times more effective than the laboratory-prepared Bonde medium in terms of accumulation of all P. aeruginosa strains under study.

Conclusion: Application of the improved Bonde growth medium will enhance the quality and reliability of detection of P. aeruginosa in environmental samples including those with low levels of contamination.