Terms determine the scope, direction, and structure of any science, and it is extremely important to interpret them unambiguously. The terminology in the field of modern disinfection science dates back to the mid-20^th century. Currently, there are issues with understanding certain definitions.

Discussion of current terminological issues in modern disinfection science in terms of their causes and search for solutions, taking into account the knowledge accumulated by previous generations and the current challenges facing this important scientific discipline.

The article deals with key terms such as ‘disinfectology’, ‘disinfection’, ‘disinfection activities’, ‘disinfection measures’, etc., and their various interpretations in state standards, regulation and guidelines, literature sources, reasons for inconsistency with contemporary scientific knowledge. The article discusses the understanding of disinfection science as an integrative science in the field of non-specific prevention of infectious diseases, an important branch of epidemiology and hygiene from the perspective of the safety of means and methods of disinfection, pest control, and rodent control, and their possible adverse effects on living conditions, human health, and the environment. The article presents a working definition of disinfection science and the possible principles of its terminology at the current stage.

Сontribution:
Zakharova Yu.A. — responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article, writing the text, and approval of the final version of the article;
Kanishchev V.V. — writing the text and editing;
Akimkin V.G. — writing the text and editing.
All co-authors approve and are responsible for the final version of the article.

Funding. This study was not supported by any external sources of funding.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no apparent or potential conflicts of interest related to the publication of this article.

Received: 07.07.2025 / Accepted: 20.08.2025 / Published: 10.09.2025

The article is devoted to the measures taken to ensure sanitary well-being and prevent diseases caused by microorganisms of I-IV groups of resistance to chemical disinfectants. By purpose, disinfection is divided into preventive and forced.

Preventive disinfection stops infectious agents’ entry and accumulation of conditionally pathogenic microflora in livestock buildings and other facilities that are safe for infectious diseases of animals and poultry. Compulsory disinfection (current and final) is carried out at facilities with an unfavourable infectious baseline. Its purpose is to localize the primary source of infection and prevent the disease spread within and beyond the farm. Compulsory current disinfection is carried out periodically throughout the entire recovery period to reduce the level of contamination of the external environment with pathogenic microorganisms, prevent the animal population within the facility (farm, household) and the spread of disease. The frequency of compulsory current disinfection and the list of facilities are defined taking into account the epizootic situation caused by a specific disease, plant technologies, climatic conditions and other features of the affected area or its location, as well as the current requirements for dealing with the disease. Final disinfection is carried out after the sick animals have been identified, measures to eliminate the source of the disease have been taken, and the enterprise or farm has been declared ‘recovered,’ immediately before the quarantine is lifted. The purpose of final disinfection is to completely destroy infectious disease pathogens in all external environments that could become a factor in the infectious agent being transmitted to animals or humans and the disease recurring. Final disinfection is carried out according to a plan approved by the chief veterinary officer of the district, in case of highly hazardous diseases (zooanthroponosis) after approval by the health authorities.

Conclusion. Maintenance stages prior to disinfection, carrying out disinfection in compliance with all precautions and treatment modes, quality control, including bacteriological control, as effective measures for the prevention and elimination of infectious diseases in animals and poultry will enhance livestock productivity and ensure sanitary and epidemiological well-being.

Funding. This study was not supported by any external sources of funding.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no apparent or potential conflicts of interest related to the publication of this article.

Received: 07.07.2025 / Accepted: 20.08.2025 / Published: 10.09.2025

Introduction. Increasing bait consumption is a highly relevant issue in pest control practice. Adding an odorant to bait is one of the methods to improve the appeal of roddenticide to rodents and consequently enhance its consumption.

Materials and methods. A research was carried out on the influence of various artificial fragrances (imitating plant and animal products) on ingestibility of grain rodenticide bait by grey rats (Rattus norvegicus Berk.) of either sex under free behaviour conditions in group maintenance.

Results. Adding odourants simulating animal products to the group keeping conditions with free access to food and water had a more significant effect on feed intake, with the synthetic odorant ‘bacon’ showing the most prominent effect. Efficiency from the flavouring additives imitating plant products was only observed at low concentrations of odorant in the nutritional basis (0.01% and 0.1%).

Conclusion. Odorants simulating animal products had the most evident effect. Addition of flavorings imitating plant products had an effect only at low concentrations in the nutritional base.

Limitations of the study. The behavioral reactions of rodents to the bait received have been studied. The results of the study are of interest to specialists involved in disinfection activities in the field of rodent control.

Ethics approval. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Disinfectology Institute of Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman (No. 2¹, 06.05.2025), conducted in accordance with the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes (ETS N 123), the Directive of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.

Contribution:
Khirazova E.E. — data processing, writing the text;
Gevorkyan I.S. — collection of materials;
Savinkova I.G. — editing;
Komarov V.Yu. — concept and design of the study, editing.
All co-authors — approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article.

Funding. This study was not supported by any external sources of funding.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no obvious or potential conflicts of interest in connection with the publication of this article.

Received: 07.07.2025 / Accepted: 20.08.2025 / Published: 10.09.2025

Introduction. The “Double Hit” method represents a model of exposure to two damaging factors acting at different stages of ontogenesis. It is well established that stress may serve as a trigger for the development of central nervous system disorders, particularly when occurring against a background of altered levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory factors induced by early-life inflammation.

Materials and Methods. Wistar rats were used to model the effects of two damaging factors: neonatal inflammation induced by intraperitoneal administration of lipopolysaccharide on postnatal days (PND) 7 and 9 at a dose of 50 μg/kg, and repeated stress exposure during adolescence. Anxiety-like behavior was assessed twice: prior to stress exposure using the O-maze (PND 31) and after stress using the Elevated Plus Maze (PND 40). Between PND 36 and 39, a subset of animals was subjected to a subchronic unpredictable stress protocol. At the age of three months, male rats underwent surgical implantation of nichrome electrodes followed by continuous polysomnographic recording.

Results. Early postnatal inflammation did not affect anxiety levels or sleep architecture in rats. In contrast, exposure to subchronic unpredictable stress during the prepubertal period led to the development of hyperactivity and disrupted the duration of sleep–wake cycles.

Discussion. Laboratory rats (in particular, Wistar rats) were subjected to prolonged domestication and kept in controlled conditions for many generations, which led to a decrease in their adaptive potential. Thus, laboratory rats, like modern humans, exist in an artificially stabilized environment, which makes them more sensitive to external influences compared to their wild relatives.

Conclusion. Despite the inherently high biological plasticity of Rattus norvegicus, laboratory rat strains represent an adequate and informative model for studying processes relevant to the human population.

Ethics approval. The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of Lomonosov Moscow State University (Protocol No. 194-zh, dated December 26, 2024) and conducted in accordance with the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals Used for Experimental and Other Scientific Purposes (ETS No. 123) and Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Acknowledgments. The authors sincerely thank Vladimir M. Kovalzon for his assistance in organizing the experiments and for invaluable advice on data processing.

Contributions:
Kulpina A.A. — methodological development, experimental work;
Gerasimov A.A. — methodological development, experimental work;
Manchenko D.M. — literature review, manuscript writing;
Glazova N.Yu. — statistical analysis, manuscript writing;
Levitskaya N.G. — overall project coordination, manuscript writing.
All authors approved the final version of the manuscript and take responsibility for the integrity of all its parts.

Funding. This research was carried out within the framework of the state assignment to Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no apparent or potential conflicts of interest related to the publication of this article.

Received: 07.07.2025 / Accepted: 20.08.2025 / Published: 10.09.2025

Introduction. The application of atmospheric pressure low-temperature gas discharge plasma, frequently referred to as cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), provides a unique tool for dealing with urgent biomedical issues. CAPs contains a large number of radicals and molecules in an excited state, among which reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) play a major role, and also includes electrons and light radiation. RONS generated by the plasma jet interact with the membrane cell and get into the intracellular space. Their activity can lead to lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, protein denaturation, and cell metabolism disruption, which induces ‘oxidative stress’ in cells.

Materials and methods. This study assessed the local bactericidal activity of CAPs against representative strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The following bacterial monocultures were used: Gram-negative — Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens, Gram-positive — Bacillus megaterium and Mycobacterium sp. Light microscopy and bacterial survival assessment based on changes in the growth suppression area were applied. Spectrophotometry was applied to analyze the plasma ray's radical composition.

Results. Optimal exposure parameters were determined to ensure effective test bacterial culture inactivation. Three and 24 hours after the experiment, the bacterial growth inhibition zone was much larger for Gram-negative bacteria than for Gram-positive bacteria. Meanwhile, the area for Mycobacterium sp. was the least of all. The effect of increasing the growth suppression area after treatment intensified over time for all bacterial types. Plasma treated biomass cultures and bacterial growth activity analysis revealed that BSA became unsuitable for bacterial growth after treatment.

Conclusion. The results confirm the promise of local application of CAPs as a safe and effective physical method of antimicrobial treatment in conjunction with disinfection and epidemiology.

Contribution:
Abrashitov G.N. — collection and processing of material, statistical processing of data, writing of text, editing, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;
Manchenko D.M. — concept and design of the study, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;
Leontyeva M.R. — concept and design of the study, approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;
Yakunin V.G. — concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material;
Timoshenko V.Yu. — concept and design of the study, approval of the final version of the article.

Funding. This study was not supported by any external sources of funding.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no obvious or potential conflicts of interest in connection with the publication of this article.

Received: 07.07.2025 / Accepted: 20.08.2025 / Published: 10.09.2025