[Working experience of the epidemiological groups of the Stavropol Research Institute for plague control].

With the start of the antiterrorist operation of the federal forces in the Chechen Republic in autumn 1999 a considerable stream of refugees from the regions where hostilities took place poured to the Republic of Ingushetia. Such situation could not help affecting the whole sanitary and epidemiological situation in the republic. The load on the local services of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance increased almost two-fold. To render practical and consultative-methodological assistance to the Center of State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance in the Republic of Ingushetia, an epidemiological group, chosen from the personnel of the specialized antiepidemic brigade of the Stavropol Research Institute for Plague Control, was sent to Nazran in October 1999 by the decision of the Main State Sanitarian of the Russian Federation. Altogether 6 such groups worked in the Republic of Ingushetia during October-January 1999/2000 and during September-October 2000. The tasks of the groups and the measures taken for fulfilling them are presented. The experience of the work of the epidemic groups as operative antiepidemic formations demonstrated the expediency of their further use.