Introduction: The World Health Organization has defined the term “public health” as a sociomedical resource and potential of the society but no common methodological approach to its assessment and implementation in the public administration system has been proposed so far. Our study reveals a methodological approach to organizing public health monitoring in the
Russian Federation. The relevance of this study is related to the need to focus government regulation on improving the quality of life of citizens, which cannot be achieved without duly monitoring of public health, subsequent managerial decision-making, and ensuring the continuity of health care.
   Objective: To develop a methodological approach to organization of public health monitoring.
   Materials and methods: Foreign and Russian experience was reviewed and analyzed based on 37 regulations and scientific papers of foreign and domestic authors published from the year 2008 to the present. We have also systematized guidelines issued by the World Health Organization, the International Organization for Standardization, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to identify mandatory components of public health monitoring. The OECD “Handbook on Constructing Composite Indicators: Methodology and User Guide” and the WHO “Urban Health Index” are used in determining the procedure for calculating public health indices.
   Results: We have developed the first methodological approach to constructing monitoring of public health in the Russian Federation that includes criteria of its evaluation as a sociomedical resource, involving calculation of the strategic and operational index of public health status. This approach reveals the order of implementation of organizational and process elements. Organizational elements are related to monitoring administration while process elements reveal the procedure for calculating public health indices. In addition to determining the indicative and critical values of the indices, it also seems appropriate to monitor individual indicators used in calculating the indices, such as the size of “population of pre-reproductive age”, “population under the working age”, “population covered by vaccination”, etc.
   Conclusion: The implementation of the methodological approach will ensure both the overall control of public health and monitoring of its individual areas. The calculation of the operational index will facilitate adjustment of actions of the authorities on a monthly basis while the assessment of the strategic index will increase the effectiveness of activities implemented within the framework of the strategic planning system.

   Background: Glaucoma is a large group of eye diseases characterized by a constant or periodic increase in intraocular pressure followed by the development of typical visual field defects, decreased visual acuity and atrophy of the optic nerve. Glaucoma affects about 3 % of the population and is the cause of blindness in 15 % of the blind all over the world. The study of the mechanisms of glaucoma development indicates the multifactorial nature of this disease and the role of the threshold effect in its occurrence. It has been established that specific occupational risk factors determine the frequency of glaucoma, which must be taken into account in elaboration of appropriate preventive measures.
   Objective: To characterize occupational risk factors and their impact on the development of glaucoma.
   Materials and methods: To study the prevalence of glaucoma among the population of the city of Kazan, we used data on seeking specific ophthalmic advice for glaucoma in municipal outpatient clinics. To study adverse eye health effects of occupational risk factors, a special “Map for Studying the Impact of Occupational Risk Factors on the Development of Glaucoma in the Population of Kazan in 2012–2021” was developed. The strength of the influence of occupational risk factors was determined using the multivariate analysis of variance.
   Results: Glaucoma patients are often exposed to such occupational risk factors as high neuropsychiatric tension (29.7 %), heavy physical labor (10.7 %), chemicals (6.2 %), and night shifts (3.9 %).
   Conclusions: Our findings indicate the importance of early detection of adverse health effects of occupational risk factors; necessitate appropriate preventive measures, follow-up, and planning of therapeutic and preventive care for patients with glaucoma.

   Background: The widespread use of specialized food products, including plant-based dietary supplements, is determined by a rich variety of biologically active constituents. However, some plants containing such bioactive compounds as pulegone, menthofuran, estragole, methyleugenol, safrole, and thujone may cause adverse health effects.
   Objective: To review recent domestic and international scientific papers in order to substantiate the importance of regulating maximum permissible levels of monoterpene ketones (pulegone, menthofuran, and thujone) and alkenylbenzenes (estragole, methyleugenol, and safrole) in plant raw materials and plant-based nutritional supplements.
   Materials and methods: We used the keywords pulegone, menthofuran, methyleugenol, estragole, safrole, and thujone to search Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and RSCI abstract and citation databases and then applied information analysis and expert examination techniques to summarize research data published in Russian and English languages in 2001–2021.
The initial sample consisted of 43 articles, of which 13 were excluded after initial screening. The selection criteria included availability of data on metabolism of the organic compounds in question, their levels in herbs and herbal teas, toxic effects on experimental animals, and potential adverse health effects in humans. We selected 30 full-text scientific publications and
classified their data by the type of interventions.
   Results: The analysis of numerous studies of monoterpene ketones and alkenylbenzenes indicates a toxic effect of these groups of compounds on experimental animals. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified pulegone, methyleugenol and safrole in Group 2B, which means that they are possibly carcinogenic to humans. Human health risks from plant-based alkenylbenzenes contained in dietary supplements are also demonstrated.
   Conclusion: Our findings prove the need to take appropriate risk management measures in order to limit the use of certain plant species containing high concentrations of biologically active substances posing threat to human health and to regulate their permissible levels in plant-based supplements.

   Background: Sanitary and hygienic well-being of the air environment of closed premises for various purposes is the most important direction in preventing the spread of infections with an aerosol mechanism of pathogen transmission.
   Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative method of reducing microbial indoor air contamination in auditoriums using a film absorber of original design.
   Materials and methods: We investigated microbial contamination of indoor air in medical university auditoriums in the cold (January-February 2021) and warm (April 2021) seasons of the year. We also tested the efficiency of air purification using a specially designed film absorber with and without an aqueous solution of lithium chloride added as an active substance. The microbial air contamination was monitored during the academic day under various modes of the device operation. Air sampling and testing were carried out using certified methods.
   Results: Our findings showed the presence of 2 to 4-component associations of microorganisms in most collected indoor air samples. Higher levels of microbial contamination in auditoriums were observed in the cold season of the year. A decrease in microbial air contamination after classes by 0–38 % was detected following 30 minutes of the absorber operation in the general ventilation mode and by 80–99 % after operating it with the active substance added.
   Conclusion: Test results demonstrate high efficiency of the method of reducing microbial air contamination in auditoriums using the film absorber of original design.

   Background: The study of the impact of gases generated on sludge sites of sewage treatment plants on the population is of increasing interest for science and practice.
   Objective: To analyze data on quantitative and qualitative determination of gases generated on the sludge sites of sewage treatment plants in order to select priority pollutants to be monitored.
   Materials and methods: We analyzed sanitary and epidemiological conclusions on projects of sanitary protection zones of 343 sludge sites of sewage treatment plants, design materials for the placement of sewage sludge on silt plots in the town of Zelenogorsk, 23 Russian and foreign literary sources, and best available techniques reference documents. We also conducted our own study that included single sewage sludge sampling in the first half of 2022.
   Results: Based on the data contained in the attachments to sanitary and epidemiological conclusions, the inventory of emission sources, design materials, and substances included in the production control programs, we selected eight priority pollutants while the results of the literature review demonstrated the importance of 28 chemicals. Measurements were made
as part of testing the sample of unknown composition to detect the compounds that could potentially account for malodors from sewage sludge.
   Conclusion: Based on the analysis of documents, literary sources, and results of testing, we made a list of 48 priority pollutants generated by sewage sludge. This list will be refined as soon as the composition of the sewage sludge sample is specified.

   Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem of healthcare-associated infections and worsened the situation with the hospital spread of antibiotic resistant strains potentially inducing nosocomial infections.
   Objective: To compare bacterial microflora isolated from adult pneumonia inpatients and hospital objects and to assess the risk of hospital-acquired infections in the Amur Region.
   Materials and methods: The study was conducted in a multidisciplinary and a “COVID” hospital hereinafter referred to as Hospitals 1 and 2, respectively. Parallel bacteria culture testing of 519 sputum samples from 284 inpatients and 486 wipe samples collected weekly during 12 weeks in both hospitals was carried out using a classical method. AutoSCAN-4 and Vitek® 2 Compact 30 analyzers were applied to identify pathogens and determine their antimicrobial susceptibility.
   Results: Along with the detection of pathogenic bacteria in 33.8 % of hospitalized patients with pneumonia, we found pathogens in 23.3 % and 12.4 % of wipe samples from Hospitals 1 and 2, respectively, and established that the proportion of Gram-negative bacteria in them was 44.9 % and 15.4 % while the share of multidrug-resistant strains was 32.7 % and 3.8 %. The significant differences observed can be attributed to a more stringent disinfection regime in Hospital 2. The structure of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria was noted for a high proportion of carbapenem-resistant organisms isolated from both sputum (20.0 %) and wipe (38.9 %) samples.
   Conclusion: Our monitoring results helped define the composition and ratio of bacterial pathogens isolated from pneumonia cases and hospital objects. A wide range of pathogens, including those resistant to antibiotics, often detected in wipe samples and their accumulation over time indicate the potential hazard of the hospital environment posing an increased risk of hospital-acquired infections.

   Introduction: The complex of exogenous and endogenous risk factors in multidisciplinary hospitals creates conditions for the development of nosocomial infections induced by ESKAPE pathogens.
   Objective: To establish epidemiological features and etiological significance of antibiotic resistant strains of the leading pathogens inducing hospital-acquired infections and to determine their prevalence in multidisciplinary clinics of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania.
   Materials and methods: We analyzed the incidence of nosocomial infections and results of the microbiological monitoring of antimicrobial drug resistance in leading pathogens for the years 2012–2021. Detection of genes encoding the production of metallo-β-lactamases was performed in P. aeruginosa strains, extended-spectrum β­lactamases and PFGE profiles of E. coli and K. pneumoniae strains.
   Results: In the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania, the average long-term incidence rate of hospital-acquired infections in the study period was 0.74 per 1,000 inpatients. We established that 44.2 % of all such cases were diagnosed in surgical departments, 32.4 % – in maternity departments, 6.6 % – in pediatric departments, and 16.8 % – in other clinical departments. The average long-term incidence rate of nosocomial infections was the highest (0.85 per 1,000 patients) in departments of surgery, the most prevalent being surgical and injection site infections, lower respiratory tract and urinary tract infections. The leading pathogens in the etiological structure were Enterobacteriaceae spp., P. aeruginosa and Staphylococcus spp. The incidence rates estimated based on microbiological monitoring results were on average 2.5 times higher than those registered within the routine surveillance system.
   Conclusions: Incidence rates of healthcare-associated infections in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania are comparable to those in the Russian Federation. Patients of surgery departments are at higher risk for nosocomial infections. Optimization of preventive measures requires a risk-based approach that takes into account in-depth microbiological monitoring data on the most common pathogens resistant to drugs of choice in local hospitals.

   Introduction: The current stage of the seventh cholera pandemic is characterized by the emergence of novel Vibrio cholerae gene variants, gradually replacing their predecessors and occupying a dominant position in the etiology of the disease. Determining their epidemic potential by identifying the number of genetic markers is unsuitable for operational analysis. Thus, the development of a method for differentiating pathogens based on PCR detection of a limited number of markers seems
relevant.
   Objective: To create a database of whole genome V. cholerae sequences containing different alleles of cheA3 (VCA1095) and rtxA genes based on bioinformatics analysis data and to elaborate a simple and informative toxigenic vibrio typing scheme.
   Materials and methods: The NCBI database-extracted results of whole genome sequencing of 3,309 strains of Vibrio cholerae isolated in 1962–2021 were used for the analysis. The software was developed in Java.
   Results: The bioinformatics analysis of the database of whole genome V. cholerae sequences, including 3,309 genomes of third wave strains, enabled us to divide them into three groups: “pre-Haitian”, “Haitian”, and “post-Haitian”. All of them contained alleles of the genes of toxin-co-regulated tcpACIRS101 pili and the MARTX rtxA4 cytotoxin with a null mutation that caused a premature stop codon. However, in the “pre-Haitian” strains, the gene of the cholera toxin subunit B of the classical ctxB1 type and the prototype gene of histidine kinase cheA3 (VCA1095) were always detected, which in PCR formed a 95 bp long amplicon and was designated as VCA1095-95. In the “Haitian” strains, a deletion of 8 bp occurred in this gene, and the PCR amplicon was shortened to 87 bp (VCA1095-87). Its mandatory combination with the ctxB7 allele was revealed. The “post-Haitian” strains contained an even shorter rtxA4a allele due to the deletion of 60 bp in the proximal part.
   Conclusion: Since the analysis of a large number of genomes revealed strict correlations between certain alleles in each group, we consider it possible to use only two markers for operational analysis, i.e. alleles of the cheA3 and rtxA genes. The typing scheme based on their PCR detection can be used to facilitate determination of the epidemic potential of newly isolated cultures.

   Introduction: The studies of borreliosis and the official disease registration in Crimea began in the year 2000. An obvious increase in the number of human cases of Ixodes tick-borne borreliosis has been observed since then: 204 cases of Lyme disease were registered in Crimea in 2000–2014 and already 324 cases in the years 2015–2021.
   Objective: To specify reservoirs, vectors and boundaries of natural foci of tick-borne borreliosis in Crimea based on the results of research conducted in 2015–2021.
   Materials and methods: Collection of Ixodes ticks and trapping of small mammals were carried out in all administrative areas in different landscape zones of the Crimea. The field material was delivered to the laboratory, where it was identified, pooled, and investigated using molecular genetic methods. Geoinformation technologies were used to map the results.
   Results and discussion: The majority of positive markers of tick-borne borreliosis were found in pools of Ixodes ticks in the Mountain and Foothill area while positive samples from small mammals were detected in the Steppe part of the peninsula. The dominant species of reservoirs (gen. Crocidura, Cricetulus, Rattus) and vectors (gen. Ixodes) of tick-borne borreliosis in
Crimea in the years 2015–2021 were identified.
   Conclusion: Lyme borreliosis is distributed almost throughout the whole territory of the Crimean Peninsula. A systematic local monitoring of reservoirs and vectors of tick-borne borreliosis is important to clarify the features of activity of natural foci in different natural zones, to determine the diversity of Borrelia species, and to assess the disease risk for humans.

   The article describes the period of formation of the sanitary and epidemiological service in Siberia, its goals, tasks, forms of organization of work, which is of particular interest in the year of the 100th anniversary of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological service. During the formation of Soviet power, the country was in dire need of an organization that could solve the most important strategic tasks of preserving and multiplying the population, promptly and fundamentally respond to challenges, protect citizens from epidemic threats.

   The purpose of the study. To describe, using archival data, the historical aspects of the formation of the sanitary and epidemiological service in the Novosibirsk region. 

   Materials and methods. The study was conducted in the form of a retrospective analysis of literary sources and archival materials reflecting the period of formation of the sanitary and epidemiological service in the Novosibirsk region, the period 1921-1945.

   Results. Siberia in the 20s of the last century was distinguished by a high level of infectious morbidity and mortality of the population. The situation was complicated by devastation and famine, complete lack of sanitary improvement, mass placement of prisoners of war of Germans, Austrians, Czechs. This predetermined the prerequisites for an increase in morbidity and mortality of the population, including from typhoid and typhoid fever, tuberculosis, syphilis, malaria, dysentery, cholera. The establishment of the sanitary and epidemiological service during this period made it possible to organize effective anti-epidemic work, which made it possible to stop the growth of infectious diseases, save thousands of human lives in the relentless fight against epidemics.

   Conclusion. The tasks facing the service in the historical period under study were fully fulfilled, and together with them the foundation was laid for the development of a well-organized, well-organized Federal Service, endowed with the powers of lawmaking, the introduction of regulatory legal acts that ensure the unity of approaches to solving urgent problems in the field of occupational hygiene and occupational pathology, hygiene of children and adolescents, food hygiene, municipal and radiation hygiene, toxicology, epidemiology.