Background/aim The aim is to study the problems of typhoid fever (TF) among the population living in uranium zone and in the Valley of the Mayluusuu River passing through this zone.

Methods A total of 2158 patients who contracted TF during the period of 2001–2016 in the Kyrgyz Republic were subjected to analysis. Of them, 964 lived in uranium zone and in the Valley of the Mayluusuu River, 1174 patients were from the other areas of Kyrgyzstan. The incidence of TF in Mayluusuu (400 cases) and Tash-Kumyr (202 cases) during the period from 2007 to 2016 was studied. Epidemiological methods were used.

Results Of the 2158 TF patients, 964 (44.7%) lived in uranium zone. TF cases have been registered even in cold season since 2006 in this area. Direct economic losses from TF for Kyrgyzstan due to inpatient treatment of TF patients from uranium zone amounted to more than 1.5 million US dollars.

The incidence rate of TF among the patients directly living in uranium biogeochemical zone was M=144.36±35.723 vs 0.6±0.14 for the Republic per 100 000 population (p<0.01).

The incidence rate of brucellosis in Mayluusuu over the past 10 years was M=177.25±33.97 per 100 000 population versus 56.16±42.63 reported in Tash-Kumyr (uranium free area).

Conclusion Thus, the incidence rate of TF and brucellosis among the population living in uranium zone is more than 240.0 and 3 times higher than that in the other areas. But this issue requires a more detailed study.