A Study of Rabies and the Frequency of Animal Bites in the Province of Ilam, 1994-2004]

Rabies is one of the oldest and most lethal zoonoses in the world. Cases have been reported from most provinces of Iran, involving both domestic and wild animals. This study aimed to define the epidemiology of rabies in human and animal populations in the western province of Ilam and was conducted in all of the 7 cities of the province. In this descriptive study we recorded data on the number of the persons bitten by animals, geographical location, age category, occupation and professional relationships, pre-exposure prophylaxis, treatment for rabies, conditions of the injured organs, and the mortality rate. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software package. There were 4 human deaths from rabies in this province (2 men and 2 women); three of these cases had been bitten by dogs and the remaining one by a cat. The mean age of these people was 25.2 years (SD=15.3y). A total of 2431 people had been bitten by animals over the preceding 10 years. Most such injuries happened in the 10-29y age group and the frequency was greater for males (P<0.01). About 64% of all cases had been reported from rural areas, and the greatest number of injuries occurred in winter and spring. The most common sites of injury were hands and feet (88.5%), trunk and the cervical region (9.3%) and head/ face (2.2%). The increasing number of stray dogs and the movement of dogs and wild animals into cities and villages are important factors in the transmission of rabies. More research needs to be done on the eco-epidemiology of the disease in different cities of Ilam.