Impact of virgin land development on morbidity and mortality from diphtheria in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Authors consider the development of virgin and fallow lands in Kazakhstan in the 1950s–1960s which led to an unprecedented anthropogenic intrusion into the environment. The huge concentration of people in the northern steppe regions of Kazakhstan led to the spread of dangerous infectious diseases among which diphtheria was of particular concern of the health authorities of the republic. Authors made an attempt to analyze the issues of the spread of this disease in Tselinny district in the early 1960s and the history of its control in this article. The basic methods of medical services to prevent spreading of this infectious disease have been identified. The authors concluded that imperfect of medical service, violation of the regulations on vaccination and revaccination, inefficiency of medical and sanitary education of the population of virgin areas as well as other factors were the causes of diphtheria resistance against measures of sanitary and epidemiological services of the republic.