The soil is not just a substrate, but a giant biochemical laboratory and a crucial factor in the transmission of infections. In this chapter, we analyze how chemical and bacteriological contamination of the lithosphere affects public health and the epidemiological situation.
The material in this section is strictly structured and includes three key topics: the hygienic significance of the soil, the principles of cleaning populated areas from solid and liquid wastes, and a set of measures for sanitary protection. No superfluous theory, only what a physician needs to understand the soil-to-human epidemiological chain.
In practical classes and exams, instructors most frequently ask about indicators of the sanitary condition of the soil (sanitary number, coli titer, anaerobe titer), require an explanation of the differences between waste collection systems, and ask to name modern biothermal methods for their neutralization. Pay special attention to these aspects.