Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases

BACKGROUND: One of the current tasks of higher medical education in epidemiology is the teaching of mathematical and statistical modeling methods for the spread of mass diseases.

AIM: To investigate the existing systems of teaching mathematical modeling and forecasting, with an emphasis on agent-based simulation approaches, in medical universities compared to non-medical and technical universities in Russia.

METHODS: As part of this descriptive and evaluative study, the curricula for the teaching of mathematical modeling, implemented at universities at various educational levels, were explored. The study included the curricula of non-medical universities (n = 31) and medical education institutions (n = 16).

RESULTS: In medical universities, the teaching of mathematical modeling is organized at various levels, including specialist, undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels. The total workload of such curricula ranges from 18 to 324 hours. The following specific topics were mentioned in the thematic plans: mathematical epidemiology; the SIR model and its modifications; ordinary differential equations; machine learning and simulation modeling systems in medicine and healthcare; simulation modeling of medical and biological processes, and others. Based on the results of the study, significant differences in the organization of teaching mathematical modeling in non-medical universities were identified.

CONCLUSION: Various levels of education in medical universities include certain aspects of forecasting and modeling the spread of infections. There is a substantial potential for teaching relevant topics in residency and postgraduate programs. In medical universities, mathematical modeling in the field of preventive medicine and epidemiology serves as a tool to foster intellectual curiosity, promote the development of thinking, positively impact the professional orientation of future health system specialists, and contribute to the mathematical component of professional competence in medical education.

At present, the global community views vaccination as the most accessible and economically efficient infection control technology, a pathway to active longevity, and one of the most powerful public health tools with proven epidemiological effectiveness. The National Immunization Schedule (NIS) of the Russian Federation is constantly being improved in response to various challenges and changes in the epidemic situation. In recent years, the list of infections for which vaccines have been included in the NIS has expanded, including for epidemic indications; the vaccination strategy has changed in terms of expanding the indications for vaccination in the populations at risk. However, the existing system of vaccination coverage indicators in target groups does not allow for monitoring the timeliness of vaccination initiation, as it only considers those who have completed the immunization process. Vaccinations outside the target age groups do not ensure protection for infants, who are the most vulnerable to infection, and the catch-up and clean-up vaccination strategies do not quickly correct missed vaccination opportunities within the prescribed timelines, which has led to an unstable situation in recent years regarding several vaccine-preventable infections such as measles, pertussis, and mumps.

It should be noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the routine vaccination programs for children suffered significantly. A substantial disruption in immunization of varying degrees occurred in all regions monitored by the World Health Organization (WHO). As early as May 2020, in the first year of the pandemic, the WHO reported that at least 80 million children under the age of one year had missed vital vaccinations. The emerging problems can only be addressed promptly through the use of modern digital technologies, with the development of entirely new qualitative indicators for assessing the vaccination coverage of the pediatric population at all levels of outpatient care (local health districts, outpatient departments, ambulatory care centers) and educational institutions for children.

Lack of information on the timeliness of vaccination initiation in paper reports does not allow for prompt assessment and correction of the situation. The transition to digital technologies in vaccination reporting makes is possible to address these shortcomings in real time and implement corrective actions in a timely manner. Another key area in improving epidemiological surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases is the assessment of the extent to which disease incidence and transmission rates in a given area depend on preventive vaccination coverage, as well as the monitoring of vaccine composition compatibility with the antigenic profiles of circulating genetic variants of pathogens — activities that require modern resource support.

The earliest references to surgical hand antisepsis in Russia date back to the 18th century and are associated with the Russian physician Daniil Samoylovich, who, during a plague epidemic in Moscow, suggested treating hands with a vinegar-based solution when performing surgical opening of plague buboes. Subsequently, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the development of surgical hand antisepsis in Russia was influenced by European surgical schools, though it retained its distinct features shaped by the priority of addressing battlefield surgery needs and the use of available chemical agents with antiseptic properties in practice.

In the Soviet period, methods of surgical antisepsis were adjusted in line with the recommendations of national surgical schools, including adaptations made during wartime. This period was marked by the centralization of scientific research and its discussion within the professional medical community, followed by implementation into practice. The most important achievement of this period was the standardization and simplification of antiseptic techniques, which ensured their effectiveness in military field settings despite scarcity of time and resources.

This article provides a retrospective analysis of literary sources reflecting the evolution of surgical hand antisepsis technologies and practices in the USSR from 1917 to 1991. It highlights the contributions of domestic scientists to the advancement of the theory and practice of surgical antisepsis, as well as their prominent efforts in ensuring biosafety.