Ectoparasites of a steppe lemming Lagurus lagurus Pallas, 1773 in the South Transural region (Kurgan oblast) in connection with the natural foci of tularemia

Steppe lemming of the South Trans-Ural region is a rare species of open spaces. To the north, its distribution is limited to the subzone of herbbunchgrass steppes and the southern strip of the forest-steppe subzone. The presented work summarizes the material, which gives the full species composition of the parasitic arthropods of this rodent, and gives quantitative characteristics of ectoparasites. In total 155 individuals and one nest of steppe lemming were examined for ectoparasites. There are 808 parasitic arthropods of 20 species, including 14 species of gamasid mites, 2 species of ixodid ticks and 4 species (subspecies) of fleas. According to the number of individuals of ectoparasites feeding on the steppe lemming, the dominance of gamasid mites is strongly pronounced, both prevailing multi-host species and specific, typical for other rodents (gray and red-backed voles, northern mole vole, Eurasian water vole, northern birch mouse). The contribution of ixodid ticks and fleas to the parasitofauna of the steppe lemming is small. Steppe lemming can be involved in circulation of a causative agent of tularemia in the South Trans-Ural region, but as an additional carrier in maintenance of a foci in biotopes, where it contacts the habitats of the Eurasian water vole.

RESULTS OF BIOMONITORING FOR TRACE ELEMENTS IN CHILDREN OF THE MINING REGION OF BASHKORTOSTAN

The study of the trace elements status was carried out as a result of a multielement analysis of hair by ICP-MS within the framework of the Russian Humanitarian Science Foundation and the Government of the Republic of Bashkortostan research project №15-16-02003 «The impact of social and environmental factors on the health of the rural population Transural Region of the Republic of Bashkortostan”. This parameter is an index of the impact of the environment on the human organism. A total of 108 children aged 7 - 14 years, residing in the Transural Region of Bashkortostan under different environmental conditions, were examined. The children were divided into three groups: (1) residents of communities where there are large processing plants (Sibay and Buribay Khaybullinsky District); (2) living in the villages of the Baimak district, on the territory with abandoned quarries ores developed for a long time in the 20th century; (3) living in an ecologically clean area - the village Starosubkhangulovo Burzyansky area near the Bashkir State Reserve. There are differences between the composition of trace elements in hair of children living in areas with different levels of the anthropogenic load. The lack of essential trace elements such as cobalt and chromium and an excess of zinc and manganese was common for all the studied groups of children. With an average grade of not exceeding the conditionally allowable biological level, some high values of the cadmium concentration of toxic elements, mercury, aluminum, and some essential trace elements are more common in children of technological areas. Children living in rural areas without anthropogenic pollution appear to be more susceptible to copper deficiency and iron. The data obtained can be used as reference values of the content of chemical elements in the hair of the child population of the mining districts of the Republic of Bashkortostan.