title: Human rabies in Zhejiang Province, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the epidemiological characteristics of human rabies in Zhejiang Province, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed using data collected through interview with human rabies cases or their relatives during 2007 to 2014. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and one cases of human rabies were diagnosed in Zhejiang Province between 2007 and 2014, with a gradually declining annual incidence. Of the rabies cases identified, 61.2% were aged 40-65 years, and the male to female ratio was 2.30:1; 63.7% of cases occurred in the summer and autumn. The two most reported occupations were farmer (69.2%) and rural laborer (15.4%). Wenzhou, Jinhua, and Huzhou were the three cities with the most reported cases. The majority of cases (92.8%) were attributed to canines, and 71.0% of animal vectors were household animals. Less than half of the cases (41.4%) sought wound treatment after exposure. Post-exposure passive immunization was given to 9.7% and active immunization to 2.3%. Cases with a wound on the head/face only had a significantly shorter incubation than those with wounds at other sites (p<0.05); cases with a wound on the hand only had a significantly shorter incubation than those with a wound on the lower limb below the knee only (p<0.001). Non-resident cases were significantly younger (p<0.001) and had a shorter disease duration (p=0.015) than locally resident cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of rabies cases occurred among 40-65-year-old male residents of northern, mid-west, and southeast Zhejiang Province. Further health education is needed to increase the coverage of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in people exposed to possible rabid animals and rabies vaccine use in household animals.
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jiangping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Enfu
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Junfen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Huakun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Shelan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China. Electronic address: jmsun@cdc.zj.cn.
authors.forename: Jimin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056990:Post-Exposure Prophylaxis; D011818:Rabies / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011819:Rabies Vaccines; D012621:Seasons; D014611:Vaccination; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011819:Rabies Vaccines
keywords: Epidemiology; Human rabies; Immunization