Yersinia pestis strains isolated in natural plague foci of Caucasus and Transcaucasia in the context of the global evolution of species.

Background: Plague is a highly dangerous vector-borne infectious disease that has left a significant mark on history of humankind. There are 13 natural plague foci in the Caucasus, located on the territory of the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. We performed whole-genome sequencing of Y.

Molecular genotyping of 15 B. anthracis strains isolated in Eastern Siberia and Far East.

Bacillus anthracis is a pathogenic bacterium, which causes anthrax disease. The ability of this bacterium to form spores, which can be preserved in soil for decades and cause outbreaks later on, makes this pathogen a serious problem for veterinary and health services of many countries. Siberia is one of the most anthrax-influenced regions of Russia.