Some epidemiological features of human rabies and animal-bites in Rangoon

Incidence rates of animal bites and human rabies in the Greater Rangoon area during the period 1915-1969 showed a trend of increase. Human rabies showed a tendency for a 5-year periodicity during the period 1920-40. The monthly distribution of cases of animal-bites and human rabies for the period 1964-1969 showed that the early monsoon months had the lowest incidence, and, that the highest peak for animal-bites occurred during March and April while that for rabies occurred during October and December. The incidence rates for animal-bites correlated directly with those of human rabies by locality in Greater Rangoon. Males had markedly higher rates than females. School age children had the highest incidence rates. The sex differences were minimal for infants and pre-school children and were markedly higher for older ages. Mild bites did not vary by age and sex while moderate and severe bites varied. The lower limb is the commonest part bitten and about 95 per cent of all bites are dog-bites. About 50 per cent of human rabies cases did not receive post-exposure vaccination and 35 per cent received a full course. The average period from exposure to initiation of post-exposure treatment was 1.8 days. The average incubation period for 96 human rabies cases was more than 100 days. 1969 was a high year for rabies when compared to the 5-year expectancy by month, locality, all ages, both sexes and dogs as biting animals.

A model comprehensive health survey in a developing country: the Egyptian Nubian health survey

Before the mass evacuation of nearly 45,000 Nubians to a new settlement area in 1963, a comprehensive health survey on a representative sample of 903 persons (2 per cent) was conducted with a view to making a community diagnosis of major health problems for sound planning of their mass transportation as well as obtaining a base line for a follow-up study in the new environment. Individuals were subjected to various clinical, laboratory and immunologic examinations by a team of specialists. Since the survey covered almost every aspect of health, the data obtained have been massive and as envisaged, have proved most useful in the long-term follow-up investigations into the effects of a changing modernized environment on a primitive group. Solutions to many a community problem pertaining to health were also discovered in the course of the survey. The paper describes the philosophy, approach and methods of the survey together with the results obtained.