Ticks carry and transmit a wide variety of pathogens (bacteria, viruses and protozoa) that pose a threat to humans and animals worldwide. The purpose of this work was to study ticks collected in different regions of Kazakhstan for the carriage of various pathogens. The collected ticks were examined by PCR for the carriage of various pathogens. A total of 3341 tick samples parasitizing three animal species (cattle, sheep and horses) were collected at eight regions of Kazakhstan. Eight tick species were found infesting animals: Dermacentor marginatus (28.08%), Hyalomma asiaticum (21.28%), Hyalomma anatolicum (17.18%), Dermacentor reticulatus (2.01%), Ixodes ricinus (3.35%), Ixodes persulcatus (0.33%), Hyalomma scupense (12.87%) and Hyalomma marginatum (14.90%). Ticks collected from livestock animals were examined for the pathogen spectrum of transmissible infections to determine the degree of their infection. Four pathogen DNAs (lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), Coxiella burnetti, Teileria annulata, and Babesia caballi) were detected by PCR in Dermacentor marginatus, Hyalomma asiaticum, Hyalomma scupense, Hyalomma anatolicum. The infection of ticks Dermacentor marginatus and Hyalomma asiaticum collected on cattle in the West Kazakhstan region with LSDV was 14.28% and 5.71%, respectively. Coxiella burnetti was found in the ticks Dermacentor marginatus (31.91%) in the Turkestan region and Hyalomma anatolicum (52.63%) in the Zhambyl region. Theileria annulata was found in ticks Hyalomma scupense (7.32%) and Dermacentor marginatus (6.10%) from cattle in the Turkestan region. Babesia caballi was isolated only from the species Hyalomma scupense (17.14%) in the Turkestan region. There were no PCR-positive tick samples collected from sheep. RNA/DNAs of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), African swine fever virus (ASFV), Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), and chlamydia pathogens were not found in ticks. The new data give a better understanding of the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens and the possibility of the emergence of tick-borne animal diseases in Kazakhstan.

Expanding the range of healthy food products is one of the most promising areas in the field of food science. In recent years, there has been an active development of the global trend of functional nutrition aimed at strengthening general health, as well as preventing common non-communicable diseases and metabolic disorders. Chocolate, occupying a leading position among confectionery products, continues to demonstrate a steady growth in consumption on a global scale, which is due to its unique taste and sensory and functional properties. Modern trends in the food industry are aimed at further improving the composition and properties of chocolate, which makes it a promising object for scientific research and innovative developments. This review is devoted to the systematization and study of modern research aimed at developing functional types of chocolate that meet the principles of healthy nutrition. The paper considers the potential of bioactive components, such as polyphenols, probiotics, prebiotic components, dietary fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and plant extracts, for use in the functionalization of chocolate. These compounds have pronounced antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cardioprotective properties. Particular attention is paid to the role of bioactive components of cocoa and chocolate in the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases, strengthening the cardiovascular system, improving cognitive functions, and normalizing the composition of intestinal microbiota. In addition, promising areas in the field of production technologies and innovative solutions aimed at creating functional types of chocolate with improved consumer properties are considered. The relevance of these developments is due to the growing demand for food products that combine high taste qualities and functionality, which opens up new opportunities for health-oriented nutrition.

Bats carry thousands of viruses from 28 different families. To determine the presence of various pathogens in bat populations in Kazakhstan, 1149 samples (393 oropharyngeal swabs, 349 brain samples, 407 guano) were collected. The samples were collected from four species of bats (Vespertilio murinus, Nyctalus noctula, Myotis blythii, Eptesicus serotinus) in nine regions. The Coronavirus RNA was found in 38 (4.75%) samples, and the rabies virus in 27 (7.74%) samples from bats. Coronaviruses and the rabies virus were found in bats in six out of nine studied areas. The RNAs of SARS-CoV-2, MERS, TBE, CCHF, WNF, influenza A viruses were not detected in the bat samples. The phylogeny of the RdRp gene of 12 samples made it possible to classify them as alphacoronaviruses and divide them into two groups. The main group (n = 11) was closely related to bat coronaviruses from Ghana, Zimbabwe and Kenya. The second group (n = 1) was closely related to viruses previously isolated in the south of Kazakhstan. The phylogeny of the N gene sequence from a bat from west Kazakhstan revealed its close relationship with isolates from the Cosmopolitan group of rabies viruses (Central Asia). These results highlight the need for a continuous monitoring of volatile populations to improve the surveillance and detection of infectious diseases.

In this study, we aimed to compare the performance of conventional PCR and real-time PCR assays as screening methods for identification of three frequent, clinically significant Salmonella serovars in Kazakhstan. We determined the diagnostic efficacy of three molecular methods for detection of S. enterica subsp. enterica and typing S. Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis, and S. Virchow. A total of 137 clinical samples and 883 food samples were obtained in Almaty in 2018–2019. All tests showed high analytical specificity for detecting S. enterica and its corresponding serovariants (100%). The sensitivity of real-time PCR for each of the tested targets was 1–10 microbial cells and in conventional PCR 10–100 microbial cells. The trials with conventional PCR and real-time PCR had a diagnostic efficacy (DE) of 100% and 99.71%, respectively. The DE of real-time PCR and conventional PCR for detecting S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium was 99.90%, while the DE of conventional PCR and real-time PCR for detecting S. Virchow was 99.31% and 99.80%, respectively. The RAPD-PCR analysis of the genomic DNA of Salmonella enterica showed the genetic kinship of S. Enteritidis isolates, and the genetic heterogeneity of S. Typhimurium and S. Virchow isolates. Thus, the developed methods can be considered as alternatives to classical serotyping using antisera.

Сальмонеллезная инфекция стала одним из самых распространенных зоонозов в мире. Продолжающийся рост заболеваемости сальмонеллезом во многих странах, увеличение числа выделяемых от животных и людей сероваров сальмонелл, контаминация данными бактериями пищевых продуктов животного происхождения, объектов внешней среды, выдвигают эту зоонозную инфекцию в ряд важнейших не только ветеринарных, но и медицинских, экологических и социальных проблем. По заключению ВОЗ, сальмонеллез не имеет себе равных по сложности развития как эпизоотического, так и эпидемического процессов и по трудности борьбы с ним. В настоящей работе показаны результаты оценки контаминации сальмонеллой пищевых продуктов. Выделение бактерии Salmonella enterica подтверждено методами ПЦР и секвенирования гена рибосомной 16S рРНК. ДНК образцов положительные на бактерии Salmonella были секвенированы с использованием праймеров специфичных к 16S рPHK. Бактерия Salmonella enterica была выделена в 5,66% из 300 протестированных продуктов питания в 2022 г. Бактерии Salmonella enterica чаще всего выделены из мяса птицы (2,33%), за которыми следовали яйца и яичные продукты (2,0%). Контаминированными Salmonella enterica пищевыми продуктами были мясные, куриные и молочные продукты.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become a widely used tool for the detection, identification and differentiation of pathogenic microorganisms in the diagnosis of human and animal diseases. Frequent outbreaks of Salmonella associated with food require the development of rapid detection methods to control the spread of the disease. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) can detect the presence of pathogen DNA. Detection of Salmonella in RT-PCR was carried out using the developed primers SInv-1F, SInv-1R and the SE-Probe probe. Positive results were obtained when testing the specificity of the RT-PCR test system for the detection of S. enterica using DNA from the bacteria S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium and S. Virchow as templates. The developed RT-PCR test system for the detection of S. enterica DNA was tested on the DNA of heterologous microorganisms of the genera Pasterella, Clostridium, Escherichia coli, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Mycoplasma, Candida and Aspergillu. Heterologous microorganisms showed a negative result when testing the developed RT-PCR. The RT-PCR test system allows you to detect S. enterica DNA within 1-10 microbial cells. The developed RT-PCR test system made it possible to identify 99 (9.7%) S. enterica isolates as a result of examining 1020 biological samples (883 food samples and 137 clinical samples) collected in 2018-2019. The diagnostic efficiency of the S. enterica RT PCR test system was 100%.