Trend Analysis of Economic Losses due to Anti-Rabies Serum and Vaccine Consumption in Iran (2015-2022)

Aliasghar Fakhri- Demeshghieh; Hesameddin  Akbarein; Rouzbeh  Bashar; Mohammad Reza  Shirzadi; Zahra  Boluki; Narges  Ghasemzadeh

doi:10.18502/ijre.v21i1.19493

Aliasghar Fakhri- Demeshghieh DVM, Specialty Board-Certified in Epidemiology, Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Hesameddin Akbarein Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Rouzbeh Bashar WHO Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Rabies, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Reza Shirzadi Center for Communicable Diseases Management, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
Zahra Boluki Postdoc Researcher, Knowledge Utilization Research Center (KURC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Narges Ghasemzadeh Center for Communicable Diseases Management, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijre.v21i1.19493

Keywords: Rabies, Rabies vaccines, Pre-exposure prophylaxis, Post-exposure prophylaxis, Iran

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Rabies is a public health threat worldwide. This study aimed to determine the amount and trend of the costs of anti-rabies serum and rabies vaccine in Iran between 2015 and 2022.

Methods: Using national data from March 2015 to March 2022, the cost of anti-rabies serum, human rabies vaccine, and the total cost of both were determined. The annual trend of the serum, vaccine, and total cost was determined using Joinpoint regression with a maximum of one.

Results: The highest rabies serum and vaccine costs were observed in 2021 and 2020 (58.3 and 6.874 US million dollars), respectively. Average Annual Percent Change was statistically significant (p<0.001) and indicated an increasing trend in the costs of anti-rabies serum. The trend in vaccine costs between 2015 and 2020 was increasing, and the annual percent change between 2015 and 2020 (p˂0.001) and 2021 (p˂0.001) were statistically significant. The average annual percentage change was statistically significant for the total costs of anti-rabies serum and rabies vaccine (p˂0.001) and indicated an increasing trend in Iran.

Conclusion: The lowest rabies vaccine costs were observed in 2021, which might be due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To reduce rabies losses, the domestic production of anti-rabies serum, implementing rabies control measures in unowned dogs, and increasing public awareness about animal bites, particularly dog bites, are recommended.