Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Dog attacks, by street or domestic dogs, with injuries from very minor to significant and severe to fatal, are not uncommon. Attacks on the serious end of the spectrum have become the focus of increasing media and public attention.To study the epidemiological characteristics of dog bite injuries and the knowledge, attitude & practices of the subjects regarding dog bite.
MATERIAL & METHOD: A cross-sectional study of 422 dog bite victims reported at ARV Clinic of NKPSIMS&RC, Nagpur for medical advice and post exposure immunization against rabies during past one year has been done. Statistical analysis was done by Epi Info software.
RESULT & DISCUSSION: 422 victims of dog bite comprised of 75.8% males, 31.5 % in 21 - 30 years age-group and 73.93% class III exposures victims and unprovoked bite in majority of victims. Extremities were involved in 89.33% victims. Maximum bites occurred during May-June. 80.8% were bitten by a stray dog. Only 52.1% of the victims reported for treatment within 24 hours .Majority of patients did not take any treatment till the time of reporting. Half of the subjects mentioned that a person could go mad after being bitten. 84.1% did nothing to control freely roaming dogs that had bitten.
RECOMMENDATIONS: The type, nature, site, geographical distribution & seasonal variations in dog bite victims show a definite interactive trend.
CONCLUSION: Wisely developed intervention model, based on epidemiological triad, for causation of rabies shall be quite helpful in prevention and control of the rabies victims.