Epidemiological Patterns, Trends of Animal Bites and Factors Associated with Delays in Initiating Post Post-Exposure Prophylaxis for Rabies Prevention in Hurand, Iran: A CrossCross-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 post-exposure prophylaxis for the injured patients in Hurand, northwestern
Iran.
Methods:
In this cross 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.
Results:
The majority of animal bites occurred in males and people aged 5 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.
Conclusion:
According to the results, males, rural residents and people ag ed 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.