[Epidemiology of animal bites related risk in Fez in Morocco]

ABSTRACT

Our strudy was carried out has for main objective to estimate the extent of the problem of the animal bites involving a potential risk of rabies in Fès city to describe the epidemiologic profile of people bitten by animals. Our study was carried out during one year period [2004] at the Municipal Office of Hygiene of Fez by using the data of a monitoring register. A descriptive statistical has been conducted. The study related to 868 bite cases. The median age of the bitten cases was 21 years; [range 1 to 90 years]. 72% were male. September was the month when the frequency of the bites was most important [n=94], the winter months seem to correspond to a period of lower risk. Most animal bites were from dogs [85.4%] and in 95% of cases the bite was single. These bites generally occured on the lower limbs [498 cases, 64%], followed by upper limbs [197 cases, 25%]. The part of the body affected differed according to victim age 8,5% of victims under 14 years of age had been bitten on the head, compared to 2% of victims aged more than 30 years. On the other hand, 72,4% of victims aged more than 30 years had been bitten at the lower limbs, compared to 56% of victims under 14 years of age [p<0,00001]. In our series the median time between the bite and the beginning of prevention is one day. The anti-tetanus serum was received by 327 patients [37.7%] while only 93 cases [10.7%] received an antirabic serotherapy. This study allowed estimating the frequency of animal bites exposing to the risk of rabies in Fez. The results encourage us to develop and implement measurements to prevent animal bites and rabies