Background: The rate of animal bites in Golestan Province, Iran, is alarmingly high, placing a significant burden on the country's healthcare system. Kalaleh City is one of the cities of Golestan Province and the rate of animal bites needs to be investigated. Therefore, this study was designed and conducted to determine the epidemiological characteristics of animal bites in Kalaleh City from 2016 to 2020.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 3838 animal-bitten cases that were registered in the electronic system of the rabies prevention department of the health center were included in this study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS software.
Findings: The mean and standard deviation (SD) of the subjects’ age was 27.07 ± 19.27 years. The total incidence rate in these five years was 654 per 100000 population. 72.4% of the bitten people were men, and 86.3% were villagers. In terms of animals, 89.5% of bites were by dogs and 7% by cats. In terms of bite season, it was 26.2% in spring and 26.6% in summer. In terms of job distribution, 31.7% were students.
Conclusion: The average incidence rate of animal bites during the study period was 654 per 100000 individuals. Most of the people bitten were villagers and men. The bites have been significant among students, children, and farmers. Interventions to reduce the incidence rate in this city seem necessary.