Epidemiologic features of dog bites in Babylon province during the years 2012-2016

Abstract EN

Dog bites is a public health problem especially in low and middle income countries including Iraq in which epidemiologic studies on dog bites and rabies are very scarce.

A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted using Time Person Place epidemiologic model.

Male were significantly more predominate and younger than females victims p<0.001.

Children under ten years of age and students constituted the majority of dog bites cases (34.7%) and (37.7%) respectively.

The study revealed that one sixth of dog bites victims didn’t receive prophylactic anti rabies vaccine, only 17.8% of them had completed the five recommended doses.

Lower limbs were the main body site exposed to biting injuries which constituted 73.7% followed by upper limbs (20%), February and March showed the highest proportion of dog bites (24.7%).

the majority of dog bites (36.6%) were reported in Al-Hashmia district.

The problem of dog bite is an important health problem in Babylon affecting mainly male children more than four fifth of victims didn’t complete the recommended anti rabies prophylactic vaccination, strategic preventive health plan is strongly requested to prevent and control this health problem.