Epidemiological Profiles of Human Rabies Cases in Tunisia Between 2000 and 2022

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Rabies is endemic in Tunisia, posing a substantial public health threat.
• Understanding the epidemiology and risk factors of human rabies is critical for effective control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of human rabies cases in Tunisia.
• To identify risk factors associated with human rabies occurrence.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective, descriptive, and analytical study of 58 confirmed human rabies cases.
• Data collected from January 2000 to November 2022 at the Pasteur Institute in Tunis.
• Analysis included temporal-spatial, sociodemographic, clinical, and exposure-related variables.

Main Results:

• The most affected governorates were Kairouan and Nabeul, with a rural predominance (77%).
• Cases peaked between May and November (74%), primarily affecting males aged 31-59 years.
• Dog bites (86%) were the main transmission route, often from a single bite (55%), with hydrophobia and behavioral changes as key symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Human rabies risk persists in Tunisia, necessitating enhanced public awareness.
• There is a critical need to improve post-exposure prophylaxis practices to mitigate rabies transmission.