Abstract

Behzad Esfandiari, Mohammad Reza Youssefi and Ahmad Fayaz

Rabies disease is one of the most important public health problems in some countries of the world
such as those in the Eastern Mediterranean region. According to the world health organization reports,
more than 10 million people who are bitten by animals are annually treated by prophylactic treatment
regimen of rabies in the world. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence and other
information’s about rabies as well as the variables related to the bitten persons during 2010 in North of
Iran. After sending samples to north unit of Pasteur Institute located in Amol City, all samples were
analyzed by indirect immunofluorescent technique and in the case of observing negri-bodies, samples
were announced as positive. Also, negative samples were injected to mice. During the study period, 22
exposed persons treated for animal bites were included in our study that 14 (63.63%) male and 8
(36.37%) female. Injuries take place in hand, leg, face and abdomen that most injury observed in hand.
Because rabies is endemic in wild life of Iran, infection of domestic animals is occurring repeatedly,
also increasing population of stray dogs and developing statistics of animal bite cases and dissipation
of rabies in most provinces of Iran, notifies a need to pay more attention on controlling this disease.