[The landscape-biocenological concept of a combination of natural foci of diseases. Environmental conditions predetermining the formation of abiotic and biotic bases for a combination of natural foci of diseases].

Current approaches to studying the problem of a combination of natural foci of diseases are analyzed. It is noted that the essence of a combination of natural foci of infection is understood as the simultaneous existence of two foci or more on the given territory or as infection of individuals of hosts (vectors) with two species (or more) of causative agents. It is pointed out that the combination of foci of diseases from the biocenological standpoints is considered in none of the papers. The author states that all investigators analyze the problem in the context of parasitology that is a section of autecology rather than in the context of biocenology considering the interaction of populations. No conception of the combination of natural foci of diseases and an appropriate approach to studying the problem is a main neglect in the consideration of their combination till recently. Fundamental provisions of biocenology, population ecology, ecological parasitology, the teaching of parasitocenoses and the concept of the landscape morphological structure must serve as a basis for the methodology of studying the combination of the foci. The author considers the combination to be an interaction of the foci of diseases on the bases that presuppose the presence of environmental conditions predetermining the formation of abiotic and biotic bases of the combination of the foci. These include the morphological structure and hydrological conditions of a landscape, species-specific composition of biocenotic ecosystems, the populations of hosts (vectors) of causative agents, and their biocenotic ties. The continuity of the biotic and abiotic bases of the combination of the natural foci ofdiseases is stated.