Epidemiological analysis on the aggression caused by animals and the human anti-rabies treatment, during the period from January 1999 to December 2006

Abstract

Rabies is an anthropozoonosis caused by rabies virus of Lyssavirus genre, Rhabdoviridae family, which can infect all mammals, and , although it has being known since antiquity, it still remains a public health problem in developing countries. This study aimed at characterizing and evaluating the aggressions by animals and the human anti-rabies health assistance in the city of Garanhuns, PE, during the period from 1999 to 2006. For this purpose, the variables collected from the Disease Information and Surveillance System (SINAN) were analyzed. This survey evidenced the prevalence of aggression caused by dogs in male individuals aged from one and twenty years old, during leisure time, and the majority of them had one unique, deep and located injuries in hands and feet. Increase in the number of notifications occurred during the studied period, and the treatment was indicated to 580 patients, but 32 of them gave up. Considering the observed data, the local health managers should promote training and refresher courses to instruct the involved technicians over the issues related to the accurate data collection, the precise questionnaire filling in, the suitable patients follow-up, and to be skilled to orientate the patients to follow the complete anti-rabies prophylactic treatment procedure.