Marmots and Yersinia pestis Strains in Two Plague Endemic Areas of Tien Shan Mountains

Natural foci of plague in Kazakhstan in the space-time continuum

The relevance of the problem of the stated topic lies in the fact that the causative agent of the plague infection demonstrates high survival while maintaining high virulence in the territories, which are enzootic in terms of the plague. The study aimed to investigate the geographic distribution and genetic diversity of the plague pathogen in endemic regions through molecular genetic research. The work included the results of laboratory studies of 3058 samples, including soil - 1154, burrow substrates - 549, the contents of the feeding chamber - 349, bone remains - 18, biological objects - 988 samples of sera and suspensions from carriers and vectors of plague infection collected from 14 autonomous plague foci of Kazakhstan for the period 2021-2022. The leading method in the study was a laboratory experiment, thanks to which, using a new advanced technology on a microbiological analyser VITEK 2 COMPACT 30, it was possible to study pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains of the genus Yersinia isolated during field experiment. As a result of experimental work, it was shown that during a long inter-epizootic period, the plague pathogen can persist in the soil in symbiosis with soil microorganisms, and in this area, it chooses soil with a low-quality index of 10 points, where soils with a low total microbial number and species landscape prevail.

International Integration and Cooperation at the Present stage in the Fight Against Plague and Other Dangerous Infections in the Kyrgyz Republic

The paper contains the data on international cooperation of the Republican Center of Quarantine and Particularly Dangerous Infections of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe” of the Rospotrebnadzor to combat plague and other dangerous infections over the period from 2016 to 2022. Areas of cooperation include conducting joint epidemiological monitoring of plague foci in the Kyrgyz Republic; exchange of up-to-date information on the state of natural foci of the two countries; equipping the anti-plague service of the Republic with modern equipment and mobile laboratories, diagnostic tools and technologies; conducting joint exercises to ensure biological safety and prompt response to emergencies; provision of advisory and methodological assistance; training and strengthening of professional personnel; conducting joint scientific researches, conferences; publication of scientific works. Data on the complex characterization of properties and phylogeographic analysis of Yersinia pestis strains isolated during field studies in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2012–2020 are summarized. The prospects for carrying out joint cartographic, molecular-genetic and paleomicrobiological work in the natural foci of the Kyrgyz Republic are outlined.

Increasing risks for emerging infectious diseases within a rapidly changing High Asia

The cold and arid mountains and plateaus of High Asia, inhabited by a relatively sparse human population, a high density of livestock, and wildlife such as the iconic snow leopard Panthera uncia, are usually considered low risk for disease outbreaks. However, based on current knowledge about drivers of disease emergence, we show that High Asia is rapidly developing conditions that favor increased emergence of infectious diseases and zoonoses. This is because of the existing prevalence of potentially serious pathogens in the system; intensifying environmental degradation; rapid changes in local ecological, socio-ecological, and socio-economic factors; and global risk intensifiers such as climate change and globalization. To better understand and manage the risks posed by diseases to humans, livestock, and wildlife, there is an urgent need for establishing a disease surveillance system and improving human and animal health care. Public health must be integrated with conservation programs, more ecologically sustainable development efforts and long-term disease surveillance.

Eight Years of Collaboration on Biosafety and Biosecurity Issues Between Kazakhstan and Germany as Part of the German Biosecurity Programme and the G7 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction

In 2013, the German Federal Foreign Office launched the German Biosecurity Programme with the aim to minimise risks associated with biological substances and pathogens. In this context, the German-Kazakh Network for Biosafety and Biosecurity was established in 2013 and constitutes a successful collaboration between Kazakh and German biomedical organisations, under the co-management of the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (IMB), and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. Ever since then, a network of scientists, stake holders and policymakers has been established, aiming to work on highly pathogenic, potential biological warfare agents with the focus on biosafety and biosecurity, surveillance, detection and diagnostics, networking and awareness raising of these agents in Kazakhstan. Over the past 8 years, the project members trained four PhD candidates, organised over 30 workshops and trainings with more than 250 participants and conducted more than 5,000 PCR assays and 5,000 serological analyses for surveillance. A great success was the description of new endemic areas for Orthohantaviruses, the mixture of two Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus genetic clusters, new foci and genetic information on tick-borne encephalitis virus and rickettsiae in Kazakh oblasts. The latter even led to the description of two new genogroups. Furthermore, joint contributions to international conferences were made. In this report, we summarise the evolution of the German-Kazakh Network for Biosafety and Biosecurity and critically reflect on the strengths and possible weaknesses. We were able to establish a viable network of biosafety and biosecurity shareholders and to accomplish the aims of the German Biosecurity Programme to lower biosecurity risks by increased awareness, improved detection and diagnostic methods and surveillance. Further, we reflect on forthcoming aspects to lead this interstate endeavour into a sustainable future.

Vector-Borne Pathogens in Ectoparasites Collected from High-Elevation Pika Populations

The American pika, Ochotona princeps, is projected to decline throughout North America as climate change reduces its range, and pikas have already disappeared from several locations. In addition to climate, disease spillover from lower elevation mammalian species might affect pikas. We sampled pika fleas in Colorado and Montana across elevations ranging from 2896 to 3612 m and screened them for the presence of DNA from rodent-associated bacterial pathogens (Bartonella species and Yersinia pestis) to test the hypothesis that flea exchange between pikas and rodents may lead to occurrence of rodent-associated pathogens in pika ectoparasites. We collected 275 fleas from 74 individual pikas at 5 sites in Colorado and one site in Montana. We found that 5.5% of 275 pika fleas in this study tested positive for rodent-associated Bartonella DNA but that variation in Bartonella infection prevalence in fleas among sites was not driven by elevation. Specifically, we detected DNA sequences from two loci (gltA and rpoB) that are most similar to Bartonella grahamii isolates collected from rodents in Canada. We did not detect Y. pestis DNA in our survey. Our results demonstrate evidence of rodent-associated flea-borne bacteria in pika fleas. These findings are also consistent with the hypothesis that rodent-associated pathogens could be acquired by pikas. Flea-borne pathogen spillover from rodents to pikas has the potential to exacerbate the more direct effects of climate that have been suggested to drive pika declines.