In the current decade, the use of plant extracts for the green preparation of metal nanoparticles has garnered increasing attention due to their eco-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. In the current study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using the ethanolic extract of Circaea lutetiana for the first time. Thetotal flavonoid content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC)of the extract were analyzed by spectrophotometric methods. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was employed to determine the functional groups involved in both the reduction and stabilization processes of AgNPs. The formation and optical properties of AgNPs were confirmed by Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. The greenlysynthesized AgNPs were characterized by FT-IR, UV–Vis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential analyses, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results confirmed that the AgNPs were spherical in shape with an average size of approximately 3.8 nm and showed a good crystalline nature. Additionally, the AgNPs exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, demonstrating their potential as green antimicrobial agents.
This study examines the epidemiological situation of tuberculosis (TB) in the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan over the past seven years (2018–2024), which cover the before-, during- and after-COVID-19 periods, with a focus on the risks of its emergence and spread. The analysis revealed that while TB incidence is declining, mortality remains high in the before- and during-COVID-19 periods, indicating a general decline in population health. The concentration of TB incidence in relation to geographic location was mainly in the northern, western and southern regions. Before COVID-19, TB incidence reached 48.2 cases and mortality reached a maximum of 2.4 cases per 100,000 people. In 2024, the incidence and mortality of tuberculosis significantly decreased to 33.5 (30.5%) and 1.0 (58.3%), respectively, reflecting an improvement in health indicators in the post-pandemic period. In the after-COVID-19 period, in regions with high unemployment, the incidence was higher than in the before- and during-COVID-19 periods. Nevertheless, it is important that the trend in tuberculosis incidence shows positive improvement after the COVID-19 period. In addition, a comparative analysis of tuberculosis incidence trends in different age groups and social factor groups shows that the adult population remains the most vulnerable category among the general population. The above-listed factors, as well as our analysis of tuberculosis incidence, shows that TB incidence does not always correlate with the level of vaccination in different regions of Kazakhstan, indicating a multifactorial influence on the tuberculosis epidemic.