[Epidemiological characteristics of population exposed to rabies in Tianjin, 2009-2024]

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and trends of rabies exposure cases in Tianjin from 2009 to 2024, providing evidence for rabies prevention and control. Methods: Data were collected from the outpatient records of animal injury treatment clinics in Tianjin, covering the period from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2024. Descriptive epidemiology methods were used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of the exposed population. Statistical analysis was performed using R 4.5 software. Results: From 2009 to 2024, a total of 1 646 037 rabies exposure cases were treated in Tianjin, with an average annual exposure rate of 722.68/100 000 population, showing a significant increasing trend (Z=255.03, P<0.001). The annual exposure peak occurred from May to August. Although the number of exposures was higher in males (832 899 cases) than in females (813 138 cases), the exposure rate was lower in males (685.53/100 000) than in females (757.98/100 000). A significant upward trend was observed specifically in the female exposure rate (Z=218.11, P<0.001). The proportion of children aged 0-15 years increased from 18.9% in 2009 to 26.6% in 2024. The number of exposure cases increased consistently across all districts, with the peri-urban and agricultural areas experiencing a greater magnitude of increase compared to the urban core. Regarding exposure characteristics, 96.30% (1 585 069/1646 037) of the injuried causing animals were dogs and cats. Although the number of injuries caused by dogs (1 068 102 cases) was much higher than that caused by cats (516 967 cases), showing a significant upward trend (Z=490.65, P<0.001), the proportion of injuries caused by cats increased from 9.81% (8 890/90 582) in 2009 to 51.19% (67 282/131 446) in 2024, surpassing dogs as the primary source of animal-induced injuries in recent years. Exposures to the upper limbs and Level Ⅲ exposures also showed increasing trends. Conclusions: The rabies exposure rate in Tianjin showed an increasing trend from 2009 to 2024, with significant changes in the characteristics of the exposed population. Public health communication strategies for prevention and control should be adjusted accordingly, with tailored content focusing on different demographic groups and geographical areas. Concurrently, the construction, management of animal-induced injury clinics, and epidemic surveillance should be continuously strengthened to maintain a robust baseline for rabies prevention and control.