Epidemiological Patterns, Trends of Animal Bites and Factors Associated with Delays in Initiating Post-Exposure Prophylaxis for Rabies Prevention in Hurand, Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study

Animal bites account for tens of millions of injuries annually. The present study aimed at identifying the epidemiological patterns of animal bites and factors affecting the delay of post-exposure prophylaxis for the injured patients in Hurand, northwestern Iran.

In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from medical records of animal bite victims who were referred to the rabies center of Hurand between 2014 and 2017. The epidemiological pattern of animal bites and factors affecting delayed initiation of post-exposure prophylaxis was investigated using the Poisson regression.

The majority of animal bites occurred in males and people aged 5-15 years. Moreover, most injuries were caused by dog bite. The most commonly affected organs were the lower limbs. The risk ratio of delay in vaccination for men was 0.88 compared with women. Delay in post-exposure prophylaxis was more common among rural residents and those bitten by cats.

According to the results, males, rural residents and people aged under 15 years of age are most vulnerable to animal bites. Designing a comprehensive educational program for these target groups seems essential for reducing animal bites. In addition, to prevent delays in vaccination, factors such as sex, animal type, location of events and the extent of bites should be considered.