ABSTRACT
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.