Spatiotemporal distribution patterns are important infectious disease epidemiological characteristics that improve our understanding of wild animal population health. The skin infection caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans emerged as a panzootic disease in bats of the northern hemisphere. However, the infection status of bats over an extensive geographic area of the Russian Federation has remained understudied. We examined bats at the geographic limits of bat hibernation in the Palearctic temperate zone and found bats with white-nose syndrome (WNS) on the European slopes of the Ural Mountains through the Western Siberian Plain, Central Siberia and on to the Far East. We identified the diagnostic symptoms of WNS based on histopathology in the Northern Ural region at 11° (about 1200 km) higher latitude than the current northern limit in the Nearctic. While body surface temperature differed between regions, bats at all study sites hibernated in very cold conditions averaging 3.6 °C. Each region also differed in P. destructans fungal load and the number of UV fluorescent skin lesions indicating skin damage intensity. Myotis bombinus, M. gracilis and Murina hilgendorfi were newly confirmed with histopathological symptoms of WNS. Prevalence of UV-documented WNS ranged between 16 and 76% in species of relevant sample size. To conclude, the bat pathogen P. destructans is widely present in Russian hibernacula but infection remains at low intensity, despite the high exposure rate.

The Republic of Buryatia (RB) is located southeast of Lake Baikal and shares a long border with Mongolia. This region of Russia was rabies‐free from 1982 to 2010. The first outbreak of fox rabies in RB was identified in 2011, about 30 km from the Russian–Mongolian border. We assessed the possible pathways to further spread the ‘steppe’ phylogenetic lineage of the rabies virus near the northeastern limits of its known distribution. All rabies cases were located 30–210 km north of the Russia–Mongolia border, with a distance of up to 320 km from each other. Rabies has spread to the north across steppe landscapes and river valleys, with foxes being the main natural hosts of the infection. All RABV isolates from RB belong to the ‘steppe’ phylogenetic lineage, and three major phylogenic groups could be separated. Group 1 contains sequences from RB, Mongolia, China (Inner Mongolia), and bordering regions of Russia. Group 2 is formed by isolates from other regions of Eastern Siberia, which have no borders with RB and foreign countries. Group 3 contains samples from Western Siberia with endemic fox rabies since the 1950s. The most probable cause of fox rabies epizooty in the RB was multiple drift of the RABV across the Russian–Mongolian border. Our data show that after 2010, fox rabies affected new areas in Central Asia and extended to the north and northeast. Affected areas are similar to the Mongolian‐type steppes in their zoogeographical aspect. Closely related genetic lineages of RABV are circulating in RB, Mongolia and the nearest areas of China. International cooperation is necessary to prevent the spread of rabies in the bordering territories of these countries.

In the present paper, we document a previously unknown phenomenon — the feeding of Myotis petax on fresh water pelagic crustaceans. A series of photographs are presented demonstrating the different phases of successful attacks of the bats on the amphipod Macrohectopus branickii. This crustacean, endemic to Lake Baikal, performs vertical migrations in the water column at night and sometimes forms mass accumulations near its surface. The observations presented expand the prey list of the ‘trawling Myotis’ and also supplement the picture of trophic relationships of the pelagic organisms of the ancient and deep Lake Baikal with terrestrial vertebrates.

Проведено описательное ретроспективное эпизоотологическое исследование в Амурской области (Дальний Восток России), где в 2018 г. выявлена вспышка бешенства, целью которого было проанализировать возможные пути заноса и особенности пространственно-временного распространения бешенства на территорию, которая оставалась свободной от этой инфекции с 1972 до 2018 г. В 2018-2021 гг. на бешенство были исследованы пробы головного мозга, полученные от 1416 животных. Подтверждено 47 случаев бешенства, доля диких животных (Vulpes vulpes, Nyctereutes procyonoides, Canis lupus) составила 66%. Первые случаи выявлены на расстоянии до 30 км от государственной границы с Китаем. Определены нуклеотидные последовательности гена нуклеопротеина 3 изолятов вируса бешенства и установлена их принадлежность к генетической линии Arctic-like-2. Генетически наиболее близкие к ним изоляты вируса бешенства были выявлены в провинции Хэйлунцзян (Китай, 2011 и 2018 гг.) и Еврейской автономной области (Россия, 1980 г.). Для картографирования случаев бешенства использовали геоинформационные системы и открытые данные дистанционного зондирования Земли. После 2018 г. эпизоотия распространялась в пределах лесостепных ландшафтов Зейско-Буреинской равнины, где заболевания людей и животных регистрировалось в прошлом (до 1972 г.). Фронт эпизоотии распространялся в северо-восточном направлении со средней скоростью 59 (16-302) км за один эпизоотический год (цикл). Занос вируса бешенства наиболее вероятен по долине реки Амур из неблагополучных по бешенству районов России и Китая, расположенных ниже по...

Objective:To evaluate the historical long-term forecast of the spatial spread of rabies in Siberia and Far East and to characterize modern approaches to spatial forecasting. The concept of spatial spread of rabies in the Asian part of Russia, developed in the 80s of the twentieth century, is subjected to critical analysis based on information on rabies registration for 1881–1980 and zoogeographic data. At that time, 5 rabies enzootic regions were identified, and the most probable directions of further exportation of infection suggested. At first, a review of published data on human and animal rabies cases for the period of 1985–2019 was undertaken (including reference publications). Data on cases of rabies among humans and animals were selected for which geographical coordinates could be determined. Mapping was performed using GIS (QGIS 3.12.0 software and “Natural Earth” and “OpenStreetMap” electronic maps). Comparison of maps for different time periods demonstrated that rabies incidence was recorded mainly within the previously identified risk areas. However, the occurrence of human disease in different regions did not always correspond to the intensity of epizootics and the predicted risk. Next, in an attempt to correct the prognosis of the spatiotemporal rabies spread, we reviewed publications that incorporated virus genetic data along with GIS technology and modeling application. The distribution of the three major rabies virus lineages (“steppe”, “Arctiс-like”, “Arctic”) corresponded to the regions that were previously identified. The spread of fox rabies (the “steppe” rabies virus lineage) in the north-east direction was described. In several instances, rabies outbreaks in southern Siberia and Far East were associated with cross-border movement of the virus from Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China. Data on the speed of the epizootic waves, pathways, and natural barriers for virus spread are discussed. The correction of the forecast for rabies virus circulation and spread is important for the development of control strategies in the region, including oral vaccination of wildlife virus reservoirs.