Problems of rabies surveillance and control in the Russian Federation
The objective. Assessment of the surveillance and control over rabies in the Russian Federation in order to determine the main directions of improving these systems under modern conditions. Materials and methods. Data of rabies surveillance in the Russian Federation in 2000-2017 were used, as well as official statements and governmental reports of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing and the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, epidemiological descriptive-evaluative methods and GIS technology. Results. The current situation with rabies in the Russian Federation has been specified, which is characterized by a decrease of human morbidity rates against the background of a growth of rabies cases found in animals. Central Russia and the Volga region are among high-risk territories, where the maximal intensity of epizootics among wild carnivores has been observed since 2014. As has been shown, the existing rabies surveillance system permits to determine risk territories, groups, cohorts and time periods. On the other hand, there are problems related to the epidemiological diagnostics and low awareness of the population. Conclusion. Successful surveillance and control over rabies in the Russian Federatiuon under modern conditions requires improvement of the normative-legislative basis, professional preparation of specialists, further scientific research, and also consolidation of resource provision and inter-organisational interaction.