CLINICAL FEATURES OF ACUTE PNEUMONIA IN CHILDREN LIVING IN THE ARAL REGION

Abstract

The Aral region is characterized by ecological problems. Factors such as air pollution, high concentrations of dust-salt aerosols, sharply continental climate, and limited water resources negatively affect the health of the population, especially children. As a result, respiratory system diseases, including acute pneumonia, are more frequent and severe among children. Nature and society form a single dynamic system, and changes in the biosphere inevitably affect human biological characteristics. Negative anthropogenic factors not only harm ecological systems but also pose a significant risk to human life and health. In the Aral crisis zone, extreme environmental conditions over several decades have been associated with large-scale chemical pollution of the territory due to high doses of pesticides and herbicides and industrial waste discharged into rivers feeding the Aral Sea. The drying of the Aral Sea has led to drought, climate change, soil salinization, and disruptions in the population’s water supply. Pneumonia is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide and is a major cause of morbidity and complications, particularly among young children. The clinical course of pneumonia in children living in ecologically unfavorable regions, including the Aral region, has distinct features, which may be associated with environmental factors, immune system activity, and changes in the organism’s reactivity.