STUDY OF THE PROBLEM OF LEPTOSPIROSIS IN THE PRE-WAR AND POST-WAR PERIOD BY THE STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY OF THE VSMU


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Abstract

Structured abstract. In the history of the department, several scientific directions can be traced, depending on their relevance in a specific period of time. In the pre-war and post-war period, many regions of our country, including Voronezh, belonged to the natural focal disease of leptospirosis. Due to the significance of the problem in the 30s-70s of the last century, the Department of Microbiology carried out a huge research work in this direction. The staff of the department made a significant contribution to the study of the issue of leptospirosis under the guidance of the head of the department M. V. Zemsky. Thus, the second serovar of the pathogen was discovered and an optimal nutrient medium for growing leptospira was proposed. The role of migratory birds in the epidemiology of the disease was established and the therapeutic efficacy of penicillin in the treatment of experimental leptospirosis in animals was discovered. Based on the results obtained, the effectiveness of immunization with leptospirosis was evaluated, and the formation of post-vaccination immunity in irradiated animals was studied, a universal biological model from the wild was identified – speckled ground squirrels susceptible to all leptospir serovars. For the first time, experimental leptospirosis vaccines were obtained and approved for testing. After testing, the vaccine was transferred for mass production and was widely used in the national economy.Goal. To study the contribution of the department in solving the problem of leptospirosis infection in the pre-war and post-war period.Materials and methods. The study of the issue was carried out using the materials of the department, literary data and statistical indicators of WHO and Rospotrebnadzor.The results obtained. Based on the analysis of literary data and the study of historical materials of the Department of Microbiology, the huge contribution of the staff under the leadership of Mikhail Vasilyevich Zemsky in the study of the "mysterious" leptospira was noted. Thus, 2 serovars of the pathogen, Leptospira zemskovii, were discovered and the optimal nutrient medium for growing leptospira, the Zemskov renal medium, was proposed. In 1949, Associate Professor Zoya Mitrofanovna Bialik established the role of migratory birds in the epidemiology of the disease and their participation in the transcontinental and interstate spread of the disease. In 1950, the therapeutic efficacy of penicillin in the treatment of experimental leptospirosis in animals was discovered. In 1951, the staff of the department: Associate Professor Z. M. Bialik and assistants Z.N. Prikhodko, Y.P. Gorchakova and V.P. Popova evaluated the effectiveness of immunization with leptospirosis, and also studied the formation of post-vaccination immunity in irradiated animals. A universal biological model from the wild has been identified – speckled ground squirrels susceptible to all leptospira serotypes. In 1960, M.V.'s monograph was published. Zemsky's "Water Fever", in which he summarized and systematized the results of the study, as well as outlined ways of their practical use for the development of new methods of treatment and prevention. The following works were also devoted to this topic: "Essays on military field epidemiology", "The search for the mysterious leptospira", A collection of scientific papers of the Department of Microbiology (leptospirosis, intestinal and coccoid infections). During the period from 1948 to 1960, more than 60 scientific papers were published, a number of dissertations were defended. In 1966, experimental leptospirosis vaccines were obtained for the first time and allowed to be tested. After testing, the vaccine was transferred for mass production and was widely used in the national economy. Conclusion. The significance of the research work of the staff in the study of the "mysterious" leptospira from the natural foci of the Voronezh region has been established. In the pre-war and post-war period, the number of cases of leptospirosis was more than 1,500 per 100,000 people. Currently, the relevance of this infection in Russia is not great: the number of cases per year is 0.46 – 1.63 per 100,000 people. In Voronezh in 2021, only one case of infection with leptospirosis was detected. It is possible that it was the achievements of the department in the field of studying this infection in the last century that allowed solving the problem of leptospirosis in the 21st century. Currently, leptospirosis is not a common disease in the territory of the Russian Federation. However, it is impossible to exclude a change in the epidemic situation in the future, since this infection is a pure zoonosis and depends on population waves characteristic of rodents.

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Relevance. The study of the history of the department, its scientific directions in different periods is important for the formation of the continuity of generations among the staff of the department and students. Leptospirosis is included by WHO in the category of the most important infectious diseases with which a person becomes infected from animals.  In the 40-60s of the last century, the number of cases was more than 1,500 per 100,000 people. The reservoir of infections in nature is more than 100 species of wild and domestic animals (rodents, foxes, amphibians, reptiles, birds) that pollute the environment. Infection occurs through the skin and mucous membranes when bathing, drinking water, caring for sick animals. The incidence is characterized by strict seasonality (June - September) and is associated with agricultural work, hunting, fishing, picking mushrooms and berries. Leptospirosis is otherwise called "water fever", since the main route of transmission of infection is water.  Alimentary and contact transmission paths are also possible. The incubation period of the disease is 7-10 days. Entrance gate: mucous membranes and damaged skin. Leptospira penetrates into the blood, and then into parenchymal organs (kidneys, liver). Here microorganisms multiply intensively and enter the blood for a second time. As a result of the action of pathogens and their toxins, the walls of blood vessels are damaged and hemorrhages in various organs are observed. The disease begins suddenly with a high temperature, accompanied by fever, headaches and muscle pains. In some cases, jaundice develops, kidney failure. The duration of the disease is 5-6 weeks, the mortality rate is from 3 to 40%. Immunity is long-lasting, strictly specific. Antibiotics and anti-leptospirosis immunoglobulin are used for treatment. Specific prevention is carried out according to epidemic indications. A leptospirosis vaccine is used. Non-specific prevention is reduced to the fight against rodents, carrying out veterinary measures and personal hygiene.The results obtained. Based on the analysis of literary data and the study of historical materials of the Department of Microbiology, the huge contribution of the staff under the leadership of Mikhail Vasilyevich Zemsky in the study of the "mysterious" leptospira was noted. Thus, 2 serovars of the pathogen, Leptospira zemskovii, were discovered and the optimal nutrient medium for growing leptospira, the Zemskov renal medium, was proposed. In 1949, Associate Professor Zoya Mitrofanovna Bialik established the role of migratory birds in the epidemiology of the disease and their participation in the transcontinental and interstate spread of the disease. In 1950, the therapeutic efficacy of penicillin in the treatment of experimental leptospirosis in animals was discovered. In 1951, the staff of the department: associate professor Z. M. Bialik and assistants Z.N. Prikhodko, Yu.P. Gorchakova and V.P. Popova evaluated the effectiveness of immunization in leptospirosis, and also studied the formation of post-vaccination immunity in irradiated animals. A universal biological model from the wild has been identified – speckled ground squirrels susceptible to all leptospira serotypes. In 1960, M.V. Zemsky's monograph "Water Fever" was published, in which he summarized and systematized the results of the study, as well as outlined ways of their practical use for the development of new methods of treatment and prevention. The following works were also devoted to this topic: "Essays on military field epidemiology", "The search for the mysterious leptospira", A collection of scientific papers of the Department of Microbiology (leptospirosis, intestinal and coccoid infections). During the period from 1948 to 1960, more than 60 scientific papers were published, a number of dissertations were defended. In 1966, experimental leptospirosis vaccines were obtained for the first time and allowed to be tested. After testing, the vaccine was transferred for mass production and was widely used in the national economy.Conclusion. The significance of the research work of the staff in the study of the "mysterious" leptospira from the natural foci of the Voronezh region has been established. In the pre-war and post-war period, the number of cases of leptospirosis was more than 1,500 per 100,000 people. Currently, the relevance of this infection in Russia is not great: the number of cases per year is 0.46 – 1.63 per 100,000 people. In Voronezh in 2021, only one case of infection with leptospirosis was detected. It is possible that it was the achievements of the department in the field of studying this infection in the last century that allowed solving the problem of leptospirosis in the 21st century. Currently, leptospirosis is not a common disease in the territory of the Russian Federation. However, it is impossible to exclude a change in the epidemic situation in the future, since this infection is a pure zoonosis and depends on population waves characteristic of rodents.

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About the authors

Daria Viktorovna Ozerova

Воронежский государственный медицинский университет имени Н. Н. Бурденко

Email: d.korina2013@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5385-8559
Russian Federation

Polina Mikhailovna Kalashnikova

Воронежский государственный медицинский университет имени Н. Н. Бурденко

Author for correspondence.
Email: Kalashnikova.Polinka@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6115-2102
SPIN-code: 2852-9147
Russian Federation

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