Prevalence and descriptive epidemiology of esophageal atresia in the Russian Federation.

Background: This study examined the prevalence of esophageal atresia (EA) and the relationship between EA and demographic factors in the Russian Federation.

Methods: Data were obtained from a population-based congenital malformations registry across 14 years (2000-2013) in 24 regions of the Russian Federation and included cases of EA among live births and stillbirths.

Results: The total number of births was 6,478,706.

Thawing of permafrost may disturb historic cattle burial grounds in East Siberia.

Climate warming in the Arctic may increase the risk of zoonoses due to expansion of vector habitats, improved chances of vector survival during winter, and permafrost degradation. Monitoring of soil temperatures at Siberian cryology control stations since 1970 showed correlations between air temperatures and the depth of permafrost layer that thawed during summer season. Between 1900s and 1980s, the temperature of surface layer of permafrost increased by 2-4°C; and a further increase of 3°C is expected.