Rabies and Tetanus Prevention Costs after Dog Bite

Animal bites specially dog bite imposes a financial burden on country’s health system annually. This paper aimed to report imposed financial burden due to rabies and tetanus prevention after dog bite incidence. in a cross-sectional study during one year, administered treatments for prevention of rabies and tetanus on dog bite cases that referred to Rasht rabies vaccination centers were studied. Data were collected by a check list and designed based on objectives of this research. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, fisher’s exact test, independent t-test and one way ANOVA. Five hundred and sixty one cases of dog bite were studied. For each case the average doses of anti rabies and anti tetanus vaccine inoculated were 3.2 and 0.7 and administrated 499.5 unit rabies and 0.1 vial tetanus immunoglobulin. Mean of unit of rabies immunoglobulin administrated for men was significantly more than women. Among age groups mean of unit of rabies immunoglobulin administrated, dose of anti tetanus vaccine inoculated and vial of tetanus immunoglobulin administrated were significant. Rabies immunoglobulin that was administrated in 30-39 years old were higher than other age group.Also anti tetanus vaccine and tetanus immunoglobulin that were administrated in 50 years old or further cases were higher than other age group. Based on results each dog bite imposes heavy cost on health system for rabies and tetanus prevention. Older cases impose more costs than other. Design and perform dog bite prevention programs can reduce such costs.