AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF DOG BITE CASES, ATTENDING ANTI-RABIES CLINIC OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, BHOPAL

Soumitra Sethia; Harshima Sawlani

Volume : IX, Issue : VIII, August - 2020

AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF DOG BITE CASES, ATTENDING ANTI-RABIES CLINIC OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, BHOPAL

Soumitra Sethia, Harshima Sawlani

Abstract :

Background: Rabies is a zoonotic disease of major public health importance. In India almost 20,000 people die each year from rabies. Most of these deaths could be prevented by post exposure prophylaxis. Objectives: 1) To study the socio-demographic characteristics of dog bite cases reported to Antirabies clinic in Hamidia Hospital, Bhopal. 2) To study the delay in reporting of cases to the clinic. Material & Methods: This was an observational record based study carried out at Anti Rabies Clinic (ARC) of Hamidia Hospital Bhopal for a period of 6 months. All cases for zero dose of Dog bite attending the ARC were included in the study. Results: Out of 2700 cases of animal bite, maximum cases 1988 (73.6%) cases of victims were male and 1390 (51.4%) were below 20 years of age. 1931 (71.5%) cases were of category III bite. 1530 (56.7%) of dog bite cases reported to ARC within 24 hrs of bite for receiving post exposure prophylaxis. Conclusion: Animal bites, especially dog bites still poses public health problem, the problem was much prevalent in pediatric age group. Category III exposure was seen in majority of the cases. Even at tertiary care Centre, quality of primary wound management and post exposure prophylaxis was compromised.