Objectives: 1. Study of prevalence rate of positive cases in all over the country. 2. Survey of prevalence and causes of the disease. 3.Survey of prevalence Rate and causes of Rabies in human, in all over the country. 4. Study of prevalence rate of the disease in Tehran.
Project: Retrospective study.
Method: Data collection has been done in WHO-Collaborating Center for Reference & Research on Rabies and other Anti-rabies treatment centers in all parts of the country. The information has gone under statistical analysis by Research Software EP5. Statistical analysis: Descriptive statistics.
Results: Two hundred seventy three antirabies treatment center are involving in post-exposure treatment right now. During the year 2002, 93216 individuals have been treated in antirabies post¬-exposure centers. In this year, 350 positive cases of animal rabies have been confirmed in all parts of country, which most of the positive cases have been due to dogs and ruminants. In north part of the country, dog, fox and jackal are the most vectors of the disease; although wolf is the main vector in the west and north¬
west parts. Sylvatic and urban forms are the different features of the disease which could be found in Iran. Animal rabies in north, north-east, and north-west parts in addition, to Fars and Kerman provinces have the most prevalent area in the country. A positive case of rabies in cat has been found in Tehran citywhich has been rabies free since thirteen years ago, from then, the positive rabies cases in Tehran, reaches to 5 cases.
Conclusion: According to the given results, it could be concluded that by stablishing the antirabies treatment centers, all bitten individuals can refer to the nearest health centers and undergo the antirabies treatment, after injured by rabid animal. Considering to the increasing trend of positive cases in all parts of the country, it seems that measures regarding combat or eradication of rabies could have an effective role in rabies control, in neighboring provinces. Increasing trend of positive rabies cases in dogs shows that in each region generally increased positive rabid dogs could result a rising trend in economical damages in ruminants. So, by effective control measures in rabies combat, it could be possible to compensate the economical damages due to rabies in animal and human by lowering the consumption of vaccine and antirabies serum. J. Fac. Vet. Med. Univ. Tehran. 58, 3: 275-278, 2003
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