American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Original Research Paper Epidemiological Characteristic of Animal Bite and Direct Economic Burden of Rabies Vaccination in the Southern of Iran 1Vahid Rahmanian, 1Heshmatollah Shakeri, 1Abdolreza Sotoodeh Jahromi, 1Masihollah Shakeri, 2Hekmatollah Khoubfekr and 3Iman Hatami 1Zoonoses Research Center, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran 2Iranshahr Health Services, Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences, Iranshahr, Iran 3Larestan Health Center, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran Article history Abstract: The ever-increasing cases of animal bites caused by rabies, Received: 02-05-2020 livestock losses, as well as economic damages are of utmost importance in Revised: 05-10-2020 developing countries. This study was conducted to determine the Accepted: 06-10-2020 epidemiology and the direct economic burden of rabies vaccination in southern Iran in 2018. In this study, 375 cases of animal bites which were Corresponding Author: Masihollah Shakeri recorded in Rabies Treatment Centers of Larestan County, Iran were Zoonoses Research Center, entered into the study by census method. The data were collected from the Jahrom University of Medical registered office profile of people who had referred to these centers. The Sciences, Jahrom, Iran variables examined included victims’ demographic characteristics, bite Email: [email protected] specifications, spatial and temporal patterns, victims’ clinical dimensions and vaccination costs. Of 375 registered cases, 83.7% of the cases were male and there was no statistically significant difference between the mean age of males (30.82±17.31) and females (30.49±18.79) (P = 0.895). As well, 58.7% of the victims were residing in urban areas and farmers (25.6%) and students (23.9%) were the most frequent occupational groups suffering from animal bites %) (p<0.001). The most cases of the bites i.e., 68% had been also produced by dogs and 64% of them were from the owned biting animals. As well, direct costs were estimated US$ 9373 for vaccine, US$ 24115 for rabies RIG and the US$ 33488 cumulative economic burden in the studied period. In conclusion, it is found that the major cases of animal bites in Larestan County had been caused by dogs and owned biting animals which could impose a heavy burden on Iran’s economy. Keywords: Epidemiology, Animal Bites, Rabies, Economic Burden, Larestan Introduction more or less in all provinces in Iran (Abedi et al., 2019; Hamta et al., 2019). Rabies is known as one of the most dangerous viral According to Pasteur Institute of Iran, in the northern zoonotic diseases that can infect all mammals provinces of Iran foxes, jackals and dogs are carrying (Tiembré et al., 2018). Despite being preventable and rabies. In the northwest and western provinces, wolves, given the existence of safe and effective vaccines, the natural reservoir of rabies virus is also carriers. In the rabies has still remained a major health problem in most cities and villages, urban rabies is common among numerous countries across the world (Kasem et al., stray dogs and cats. Therefore, in Iran, surveillance 2019; Banyard et al., 2018). Considering the incidence system carries out primary prevention (Post-Exposure rate of rabies in the world, Iran is one of the countries Treatment-PET) for total animal bite cases, regardless of with a history of rabies occurring both in wildlife and the animal's carrier status of rabies virus for prevention domestic animals. The given disease is still recognized of rabies (Abedi et al., 2019; Gholami et al., 2017). as one of the health-related and economic problems Post-exposure treatment-PET in Iran is such that the and almost infection cases with rabies are observed rabies vaccine is injected based on the WHO protocol, © 2020 Vahid Rahmanian, Heshmatollah Shakeri, Abdolreza Sotoodeh Jahromi, Masihollah Shakeri, Hekmatollah Khoubfekr and Iman Hatami. This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 3.0 license. Vahid Rahmanian et al. / American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences 2020, 15 (4): 245.251 DOI: 10.3844/ajavsp.2020.245.251 which has been prepared with regard to the severity of the epidemiology and the direct economic burden of the injury and the amount of contamination. Based on rabies vaccination in Larestan in 2018. this, the people referred to include three groups: Group A: Calling or feeding animals, losing healthy skin that Methodologies does not require vaccine and RIG. Group B: Include teeth of naked skin, small scabs without bleeding, who should In this study, 375 cases of animal bite in a one-year receive a vaccine. Group C: Include deep wounds and period between 21st March 2018 to 20th March 2019 exposure to bats that should receive vaccine and RIG. In longitudinally in Larestan County located in the south Iran, the Essen Regimen is used for immunization, which Fars province, Iran were entered in to the study by a consists of five injections of vaccine on days 0, 3, 7, 14 census method. and 28, respectively. In cases where the animal, the dog The animal bite clinics and treatment centers in this and the cat are the owner and survive 10 days after the County had five units for the prevention of rabies, which bite event, this means that the dog or cat is not carrying provided health care and treatment services for all rabies at the time of the event and the patient does not victims of animal bites. The data were collected through receive the vaccine 14 and 28 (Abedi et al., 2019). the information of the registered profiles of individuals Increased incidence rate of animal bites can also who had referred to the Rabies Center of Larestan result in rising economic costs for the care and treatment County. Normally, these forms included variables of age, of victims including the costs of vaccines and Rabies gender, living place, type of biting animal, occupation, Immunoglobulin (RIG) in a way that its global costs number of injury, bite site (hand, leg, body, face and head or neck), bite date, the number of receiving anti have been estimated by one billion US dollars annually rabies vaccination and rabies immunoglobulin and (Wangdi and Ward, 2012; Anyiam et al., 2017). tetanus vaccine. Data on the bitten subjects were Wangdi and Ward (2012) in Bhutan showed that the extracted from rabies Surveillance System of the Health average direct medical cost of human post-exposure Deputy of Larestan University of Medical Sciences. treatment was US$ 35.65 per 5-dose Essen regimen per patient if rabies vaccine is used only. The cost would Study Site increase to US$ 55.13 and US$ 433.41 per patient when one dose of either Equine Rabies Immunoglobulin In the geographical place where this study is focused, (ERIG) or human rabies immunoglobulin. people commonly did not keep pet dogs with themselves The PET costs and those for canine rabies prevention at the home like the western culture, but the dogs were and control programs are similarly known as the most usually used as guard at the house yard or with the sheep significant determinants of social costs of rabies in herds. No national rabies vaccination program was run in endemic countries. In addition, costs of PET in countries Iran for dogs and other pets. In urban regions, most where in their healthcare systems are based on out-of- people did not keep pet dogs and the most dogs in these pocket payments and the major costs are directly payable regions were stray dogs. by the public are extremely burdensome (Shwiff et al., Animal Bitten Participants 2018; Le et al., 2018). The economic costs of animal bites can be divided The participants of this study included individual who into direct costs (vaccine, Rabies Immunoglobulin- RIG, referred to animal bite clinics and treatment centers due to syringe, disinfectants, staff salaries, etc.) and indirect fear of contracting rabies and/or other diseases from costs (costs of transports by patients to receive PET and animal bites. All cases of animal bites in all age and sex costs of losing income during visits) that can have a groups referred to animal bite clinics and treatment centers significant impact on disease control (Wangdi and Ward, in the study period were included in the study. 2012). In addition to the financial costs of animal bites Statistical Analysis prevention and treatment; socio-psychological consequences of bites and the remaining scars can also The data were analyzed by Statistical Package for the greatly affect the life of individuals and their families Social Sciences Version 17.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, (Babazadeh et al., 2016; Mbilo et al., 2019). USA). Descriptive statistics (frequency and relative Therefore, obtaining accurate information about the frequency), chi-square test and independent samples t- economic burden of animal bites can help decision- test at the significance level of 0.05 were used to analyze makers in different countries in terms of prioritization the collected data. and estimation of the problem severity, cost-benefit achieved compared to other methods of reducing Results and Discussion incidence rates of animal bites and allocation of resources, as well as fight against the disease. In total, 375 bitten subjects with a mean age of Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to determine (30.76±17.53) were registered and there was no 246 Vahid Rahmanian et al. / American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences 2020, 15 (4): 245.251 DOI: 10.3844/ajavsp.2020.245.251 statistically significant difference between the mean age Most bites happened by dogs (68%), cats (26.9%) of males (30.82±17.31) and females (30.49±18.79) (P = and horses (1.3%), respectively. In addition, only 34% of 0.895). The bite rates in males were 83.7% among the the animals were stray and 64% of them were owners various occupation, formers had at the highest bite rate (Table 1).