بررسي اپيدميولوژي هاري و حيوان گزيدگي در استان هاي حاشيه درياي خزر

Epidemiological study of rabies and animal bites in Caspian sea littoral provinces

This retrospective study was related to Gilan, Golestan and Mazandaran provinces to assess epidemiological situation of human and animal rabies and bitten humans during 1996-2007. Data analysis was performed by Regression analysis and Chi-square test using SPSS software. The results of this study indicated that during these eleven years, 1249 cases of animal rabies have occurred in the Caspian sea littoral (716 cases from Golestan, 369 cases from Mazandaran and 164 cases from Gilan). Descending trend in incidence of animal rabies was obvious. Rabies was observed in 18 species of the domestic and wild mammalian in this region. The most relative frequencies of animal rabies belonged to wolves and dogs. In the Golestan and Mazandaran, unlike Gilan, sylvatic type of rabies was dominant. The highest distribution of animal rabies was found in Gonbad, Minoodasht, Bandar Torkaman and Nom cities. According to seasonal distribution, 27.4%, 22.7%, 26.9% and 23% of cases in spring, summer, autumn and winter occurred respectively. Among the 175843 animal bites in Caspian sea, 22%, 32.5% and 45.5% of them belonged to Gilan, Mazandaran and Golestan respectively. Ascending trend in incidence of animal bites was obvious. During this time, six human fatalities due to rabies were reported, 100% male, 83% of them were bitten by dogs and 17% by foxes. The average incubation period was 100 days. The mean age of victims was 26.2 years. Due to the frequency of wolIʹ and dog rabies in Caspian sea littoral and movement of these animals to cities and villages, public health authorityʹs notification lor disease control seems in order.