摘要Objective:To explore the modeling of time series of animal bite occurrence in northwest Iran.Methods:In this study,we analyzed surveillance time series data for animal bite cases in the northwest Iran province of Iran from 2011 to 2017.We used decomposition methods to explore seasonality and long-term trends and applied the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average(ARIMA)model to fit a univariate time series of animal bite incidence.The ARIMA modeling process involved selecting the time series,transforming the series,selecting the appropriate model,estimating parameters,and forecasting.Results:Our results using the Box Jenkins model showed a significant seasonal trend and an overall increase in animal bite incidents during the study period.The best-fitting model for the available data was a seasonal ARIMA model with drift in the form of ARIMA(2,0,0)(1,1,1).This model can be used to forecast the frequency of animal attacks in northwest Iran over the next two years,suggesting that the incidence of animal attacks in the region would continue to increase during this time frame(2018-2019).Conclusion:Our findings suggest that time series analysis is a useful method for investigating animal bite cases and predicting future occurrences.The existence of a seasonal trend in animal bites can also aid in planning healthcare services during different seasons of the year.Therefore,our study highlights the importance of implementing proactive measures to address the growing issue of animal bites in Iran.