Epidemiological Patterns of Animal Bite Patients under 10 Year Old, in Maku County, West Azerbaijan

Animal bites are potentially harmful for people. The present study was conducted to describe some of epidemiological patterns and analyse some aspects of animal bites in Maku County in time period 2003-2012.
Material and The longitudinal study was done on recording medicals in Health Center of Maku County, during 2003-2012 years. Interested variables in the study included: demographic characteristics, time patterns, place of injuries, type of injuries incurred to the children, and receiving health care after of bites were gathered. The results presented with descriptive indices such as mean (±SD), frequency (Relative frequency); and analytical statistics presented with the chi-square test and independent t-test.
Age mean of participants was 7.06 (± 2.40) years. 75% of victims were boys and sex ratio of boy to girl was 2.99. The highest percentage of the animal bites occurred by the domestic animals, 93.49% of injuries by the dogs and the highest proportion in the regional rural were occurred. 41.16% of animal bites were happened afternoon (12-18 p.m.). Site of the body injury 60.95% of injuries were from lower extremities. 73.5% of injuries, systematically, referred to receiving services of rabies vaccine.
The present results showed that the most animal bites were related to dogs, and the highest percentage of animal bites was happened in rural area, consideration should be done to control and prevent this health threat.