Demographics of rabies exposure in north-west of Iran:5years experience
Year: 2013
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction: Rabies is a neuropathogenic disease ,always fatal, which involves domestic and wild animals and attracted global concern for its distribution. This research demonstrates potential rabies infected animal bites and related risk factors in North-West of Iran in order to evaluate the area’s demographics and risk factors respectively. Method: A retrospective cross-sectional review which studied referred patients to rabies disease control and prevention center placed in Sina hospital. Results: A total of 1084 patients,918 males 166 females with 777 city and 307 rural residential. Median age ranged from 20 to 30. Accidents were the highest in January and May. Dogs accounted for 72.4% ,cats 20.6%,rats 4.1% and others 3%. 45.8% of attacks placed at house,41.8% outdoors,12.4% placed at work.80.4% of them were house animal,15.6% were outdoors and 4.1%were wild.80.4% are under observation,17.5% escaped,2.1% were killed. Superficial bites accounted for 78.7% of all bites,21.3% were deeply bitten. Bites conflicted to :upper limb 50.6%,lower limb 43.5%,head 2.4%,neck0.6%,chest 1.8%,abdomen 0.7%,genitalia 0.3%. 54.3% of all bite exposures were to covered sites whereas 45.7% affected naked sites. Surprisingly 98.6% of animal, mostly pets, had no history of vaccination. Conclusion: This research admitted lacked attention in vaccination when it would have been appropriate, led to rabies disease which is always fatal. Bite rates were higher among adult males, in cities by dogs. Bite exposures were highest in May and January respectively. Upper limbs, mostly covered, were bitten commonly superficial.
Language: English
Subfield: Virology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2122467190