Epidemiologic Characteristics of the Novel Coronavirus Disease COVID-19 in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan Within the Framework of Parasitic Systems Self-Regulation Theory

Background: The study of infectious disease epidemiology among military personnel has long been a priority in military medicine. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical role of pathogen genetic variability in shaping the patterns of the disease, serving as a demonstrative case for applying Belyakov’s (1983) theory of self-regulation of parasitic systems. Although numerous studies have addressed the epidemiologic aspects of COVID-19 in various organized communities, the specific characteristics of the disease among service members of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan remain insufficiently studied, underscoring the importance of the present research. AIM: to investigate the epidemiologic characteristics of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan through the lens of the theory of self-regulation of parasitic systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective epidemiologic analysis was conducted to assess COVID-19 incidence among military personnel and the civilian population of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Data were obtained from departmental military medical statistical reports of the Armed Forces (Form 2/med) and publicly available official statistics provided by the National Center for Public Health under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The comparative trends in COVID-19 incidence rates among military personnel and the civilian population were examined, along with the identification of epidemiologic features across the military-administrative territories of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. A combination of epidemiologic and mathematical-statistical methods was used for data analysis and interpretation. RESULTS: The study demonstrated that the genetically determined ability of the infectious agent to alter its epidemiologically significant properties (e.g., transmissibility, pathogenicity) in response to implemented anti-epidemic measures is a key factor influencing epidemic intensity. This adaptation may manifest as an increase in the number of cases, changes in disease severity and clinical forms, shifts in distribution across population groups, and other epidemic patterns. CONCLUSION: The genetic plasticity of pathogenic microorganisms, activated in response to changes in human population characteristics, significantly influences the regional epidemiologic features of disease spread. These patterns must be considered when designing epidemic control systems in structured military settings.