Demographics of rabies exposure in north-west of Iran:5years experience

BACKGROUND: Rabies is a neuropathogenic disease, always fatal, which involves domestic and wild animals andattracted global concern for its distribution. This research aimed to demonstrate potential rabies infected animal bitesand related risk factors in North-West of Iran in order to evaluate the area’s demographics and risk factors. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional review was done for patients referred to Rabies Disease Control andPrevention Center placed in Sina Hospital, Tabriz, Iran. RESULTS: A total of 1084 patients, 918 men and 166 women (777 city and 307 rural residential) were enrolled in thisstudy. Median age ranged from 20 to 30 years. Accidents were the highest in January and May. Dogs accounted for72.4%, cats 20.6%, rats 4.1% and others 3%. 45.8% of the attacks occurred at homes, 41.8% outdoors, and 12.4% at work. 80.4% of them were pet animals, 15.6% were outdoors and 4.1% were wild. 80.4% were under observation, 17.5% escaped, and 2.1% were killed. Superficial bites accounted for 78.7% of all bites, and 21.3% were deeply bitten.Bites conflicted to upper limbs (50.6%), lower limb (43.5%), head (2.4%), neck (0.6%), chest (1.8%), abdomen (0.7%),and genitalia (0.3%). 54.3% of all the bite exposures occurred in covered sites whereas 45.7% affected naked sites.Surprisingly, 98.6% of the animal, mostly pets, had no history of vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: This research admitted lacked attention in vaccination when it would have been appropriate, led torabies disease which is always fatal. Bite rates were higher among adult males, in cities by dogs. Upper limbs, mostlycovered, were bitten commonly superficial.