The scale of emergency caused by COVID-19, the ease of survey, and the crowdsourcing deployment guaranteed by the latest technology have allowed unprecedented access to data describing behavioral changes induced by the pandemic. The study aimed to present the survey results identifying attitudes toward vaccination against COVID-19 among the population of West Kazakhstan, the level of confidence in the national QazVac vaccine, and the role of different sources of information on COVID-19 in decision-making concerning vaccination. A computer-assisted survey was conducted using WhatsApp messenger. Overall, 2,009 participants responded, with a response rate of 92%. Most (83.1%) were immunized against COVID-19; among them, 20.1% obeyed the request of their employers that had been practiced within non-pharmaceutical interventions to contain the disease. The youngest respondents, individuals with a college education, students, and employed people, as well as those with chronic diseases, showed positive attitudes toward vaccination (all p<0.05). About two-thirds of respondents (69.2%) expressed trust in all types of vaccines against COVID-19. Of those who refused vaccination (16.9%), about one-third feared vaccination consequences, and more than a third (38.2%) reported anti-vaccine sentiments. The decisive factors in accepting vaccination were trust in official sources of information (reports of medical experts, etc.) and, mainly, subjectively interpreted sufficiency of information about the disease, which had increased the odds of being vaccinated by 63.9% (OR 1.71, 95% CI [1.3;2.26], p<0.05). Confidence in the domestic QazVac vaccine was expressed by 37.7% of respondents. History and severity of COVID-19 disease did not play a role in positive perceptions of vaccination, while illness after vaccination substantially affected vaccination approval (p 0.021). No significant differences have been observed regarding the overall performance across five vaccines (QazVac, Sputnik V, CoronaVac, Hayat-Vax, and BioNTech/Pfizer) available for Kazakhstan’s population (p 0.27).

Introduction: In the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, information about risk factors of the infection is of utmost importance. The objective of our study was to analyze the prevalence of behavioral and social risk factors for COVID-19. Materials and methods: In October–November 2021, we conducted a cross-sectional study among 1,123 residents of Kazakhstan aged 18 to 69 years. We used a standardized customized STEPS questionnaire that included socio-demographic data, behavioral data, and questions related to COVID-19. The significance of differences in data characterizing qualitative features was determined using 2×2 contingency tables based on the value of Pearson’s χ2 correlation coefficient. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 44 years; 29 % of them were men and 71 % were women. Among those who had experienced COVID-19, there were more young and middle-aged people (p < 0.05), people with higher education (55.6 %) (p < 0.05), people having 1 to 3 family members (p < 0.05), and those not engaged in moderate physical activity. We found no statistical relationship between smoking and the novel coronavirus disease (p > 0.05). Those who recovered had higher titers of IgM and IgG antibodies. There was a considerable difference in disease incidence between the vaccinated and unvaccinated (p < 0.05) with an odds ratio of 1.661 (95 % CI: 1.275; 2.164). Conclusions: Our findings can serve as a guide for COVID-19 awareness campaigns aimed at the coronavirus disease prevention conducted by health authorities and mass media. They can also serve as the basis for in-depth studies of the contribution of various factors to the risk of the disease.

Background ― In some Kazakhstan regions, the epidemic situation on brucellosis remains tense, despite the observed trend to decrease in the incidence: 5.5 per 100,000 population by 2018 vs. 6.2 in 2017. The article aims at presenting the steps of preparing the brucellosis questionnaire to identify infection risk factors. Methods ― A questionnaire is developed based on the Health Belief Model to arrange interviews among the adult population of the Aktobe region. Stages of the drafting process included: 1) review of relevant literature sources; 2) assessment of the target audience to calculate N (number of interviewees); 3) development of the questionnaire itself; 4) testing the tool in focus-groups; 5) validation through Cronbach’s alpha (α) calculation to reach the internal consistency of the questionnaire; 6) final editing of the survey tool. The Cronbach’s alpha was calculated using the item-analysis in the SPSS Modeler.v.25. Results ― The designed questionnaire consisted of the three domains with twenty-two questions of the semi-closed type and underwent testing in the focus-group of ninety-eight livestock owners. A preliminary analysis revealed five items with unsatisfactory mean values, which were either modified or deleted so that the α resulted in 0.71 (moderately reliable). The adjusted tool eventually contained seventeen items (questions). Conclusion ― A simple design and adequate validation of the survey tool should facilitate information on population awareness of the clinical symptoms and paths of brucellosis infection transmission. Data on accepted practice on caring for livestock in private households across the region also become available for analysis owing to the presented questionnaire.

Long COVID-19 is characterized by the persistence of symptoms and immune alterations beyond the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Understanding the demographic, clinical, and immunological differences between individuals with and without long COVID-19 is crucial for developing targeted interventions. This observational study included 206 participants, comprising 90 patients with long COVID-19 and 116 without. Data on demographic, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics were collected, alongside immune cell profiles and SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels. Statistical analyses compared these parameters between the two groups. Long COVID-19 patients were predominantly female (77.8%), older (47.78% aged 41–60, 20% >60 years), and had higher BMI, hypertension (31.1%), and autoimmune diseases (11.1%) compared to nonlong COVID-19 individuals (P < 0.001). Clinical symptoms unique to long COVID-19 included memory loss (40.0%), hair loss (37.8%), fatigue (35.6%), and myalgia/arthralgia (28.9%), all absent in the control group (P < 0.001). Immunologically, patients with long COVID-19 exhibited distinct immune profiles, including elevated cytotoxic T cells (CD3+CD8+), reduced B cells, and higher CD4/CD8 ratios. Moreover, long COVID-19 patients had higher SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels, with 15.5% showing levels between 1000–2500 BAU/ml, compared to 6.9% in controls. These immunological biomarkers, including altered T cell subsets and antibody levels, highlight the complex immune dysregulation associated with long COVID-19. These findings could inform future clinical management and therapeutic strategies targeting immune modulation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted an urgent need to understand the differences between vaccine-induced and natural immunity, particularly in the context of post- COVID syndrome (long COVID). This review compares the immune responses elicited by natural infection and vaccination, focusing on their duration, strength, and effectiveness in mitigating long COVID symptoms. Vaccine-induced immunity, primarily targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, often produces a more consistent antibody and T-cell response, especially when bolstered by booster doses. In contrast, natural immunity, though broader in scope, is more variable and influenced by factors such as infection severity. Hybrid immunity, resulting from both infection and vaccination, may offer superior protection against long COVID. This comparative analysis highlights the importance of understanding these immune mechanisms to optimize protection strategies against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.