Epidemiological patterns of animal bites in Abadeh district of centralIran from 2012 to 2018: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: To investigate the epidemiology of animal bites and associated factors in Abadeh district (central Iran) from 2012 to 2018. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1 407 individuals with animal bites who were referred to the Abadeh Rabies Treatment Center were investigated by using the census method from 2012 to 2018. The variables included the victim’s demographic information (age, gender, occupation), the type of biting animals (dog, cat, and other animals), the domesticated and wild animals, the time of biting based on year and month, the residence location (urban or rural), the treatment status, and the anatomical location of the wounds. Results: The annual incidence rate of animal bites was 189.62 per 100 000 population. Totally 83.4% of the victims were male. The average age was (33.66±18.97) years and individuals in the age range of 36-50 years were greater at risk. Most of the animal bites were from dogs (77.8%). About two thirds (62.1%) of the bites were from household animals. A total of 57.1% of individuals lived in urban areas. Most victims were engaged in farming and animal husbandry. The highest prevalence of animal bites (37.4%) happened in the summer. None of the patients had any clinical signs of rabies. Conclusions: To reduce the incidence of animal bites, high-risk groups including farmers and ranchers should be educated about bite prevention, and it should be ensured that they are managed correctly.