Prof. Dr. Svetlana Malkhazova is the Head of the Department of Biogeography at the Faculty of Geography of Lomonosov Moscow State University. She has extensive experience in supervising and conducting international research projects on various issues of European integration and the EU partnerships (INTAS, ICSU/IGU, Russian-Italian, etc). Prof. Dr. Malkhazova is and Editorial Board member for various international journals, including the Journal of Geography, Environment, Sustainable Development, Jovan Cvijc, Journal of Social Medicine, Journal of Environment, Disease and Health Care Planning and is on several Russian Advisory Boards. She takes part in the Commission of Health and Environment of the International Geographical Union (IGU) and is a member of the Advisory Group on Human Health of International Human Dimensions, in the Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP). Her specialties include Health, Environment and Development; Human Ecology and General Ecology. For 15 years Malkhazova is a member of the Scientific-Methodological Council on Environment and Geographical Education, for the Educational-Methodological Association of Russian Universities. She has been involved in the development of the State Educational Standards for environmental professions and created a professional training programme for several disciplines. Svetlana Malkhazova has co-authored and edited six monographs and contributed to over 150 papers, including 50 articles in international journal issues. Varvara Miranova is a Senior Fellow Researcher in the Department of Biogeography, at the Faculty of Geography of Lomonosov Moscow State University. She has authored and co-authored over 35 scientific publications, including one monograph.

• Preface.- Chapter 1 Introduction.- Chapter 2 Natural and socio-economic conditions.- Chapter 3 The hosts and vectors of natural focal diseases.- Chapter 4 The spread of primary natural focal diseases.- Chapter 5 Territorial organization of sanitary and epidemiological services.- Conclusion.- Authors.- Bibliography.- Maps, illustrations and photo credits.