EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF DOG BITE CASES IN BAGHDAD CITY DURING 2010

Abstract

Exposure to dog bites is an important public health problem , these bites not only cause increase morbidity and mortality but also loss of workers days and cost for treatment , so a cross - sectional retrospective study was carried out during January (2011) to determine the epidemiological profile of dog bite victims registered in the Anti-Rabies clinic of ( Pasteur Institute ) and who live in Baghdad city during (2010) were reviewed data collection then were analyzed by using simple descriptive statistics .The results show that the total number of dog bite victims in Baghdad city during (2010) was 1914 , (79.2%) attended the clinic within the first three days post-exposure with an epidemiological profile which consisted mainly of males (88.5%) , people at risk were mainly children under ten years of age (26.8%) , living in Al- Risafa district (66.6%) . Considerable percentage (74.6%) had injuries involved the lower limbs but a clear seasonal variation in dog bite attacks does not exist .Recommendation was suggested to enhance public awareness through health education , institution of intervention program targeted to control stray dogs and to enhance active animal bite surveillance studies to estimate the true burden of the disease.