Animal-caused injury and rabies prophylaxis in the northern Negev region of Israel, 1978-80.

The guidelines concerning the administration of postexposure rabies prophylaxis following injuries by animals, as advised by the Ministry of Health, are reviewed. During the years 1978-80, annual rates of reported animal-caused injuries were 381/100,000 persons, and annual rates of persons started on active rabies prophylaxis were 35/100,000 in the northern Negev. As a result of these data, an effort was made to decrease the number of persons receiving rabies prophylaxes in the northern Negev district in 1981.