Epidemiological charteristics of rabies post - exposure prophylaxis and rabies in human in the Quang Ninh province at period from 2014 to 2020

Abstract

This retrospective study revealed that 19,711 patients had received PEP against rabies using the vaccine and/or rabies antiserum with the proportion for males and females being 56.8% and 43.2% respectively. The proportion of those who had received PEP varied accordingly across age groups, with the age group 25 - 49 years old making up the highest proportion of 36.4%. 96.5% of them were vaccinated within 10 days of exposure to animals suspected of having rabies. The percentage of unhealthy dogs biting humans was 18.8% and domestic dogs were the main source of rabies at 93.8%. The wounds caused by animals suspected of having rabies mainly affected the leg (55.5%) and wounds near the
central nervous system made up 37.7%. In particular, 7.8% of these patients were assigned additional rabies antiserum administration. 06 fatal cases in humans due to rabies occurred in 04 out of 14 districts/cities, of which 03 cases occurred in the Tien Yen district accounting for 50% of deaths. As a consequence, the human and animal health sectors need to intensively collaborate in rabies prevention activities, fulfill properly Circular 31/CT-TTg issued in 2017 regarding measures to strengthen rabies prevention, intensively and extensively deploy Primer Minister’s Resolution 2151/QĐ-TTg dated 21/12/2021 on ʽThe national rabies prevention program in the period 2022 - 2030ʼ throughout the province.