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Citation
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Villagra V, Cáceres D, Alvarado S, Salinas E, Caldera ML, Lucero E, Viviani P, Torres M. Rev. Chilena Infectol. 2017; 34(3): 212-220. |
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Affiliation
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Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile, marisa@med.puc.cl. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Bites constitute a public health problem worldwide.
AIM: To characterize epidemiologically bites by animals happened in the province of Los Andes (2005-2007).
METHOD: Descriptive, retrospective epidemiological study. Studied variables: Bitten person (BP), accident by bite, biting animal and bite. It was not feasible to obtain more updated information by law of patient protection.
RESULTS: 2,360 BP were assisted in the emergency unit of San Juan de Dios Hospital and Rio Blanco clinic. An annual average rate of 729 BP/100,000 inhabitants and 1.99 daily average was recorded. The male gender was most affected (53.5%) and the age group from 6 to 10 years old. (Rate:.521/100,000). Most frequent topographic location was the lower limb, except in children under 5 year olds in whom predominated head and neck. The biting animal according to frequency was: the dog (67.1%) spider (7.1%) and cat (3.9%). The animal property was 35.6% known and 30.7% own. The most frequent problems were: nonspecific allergy; toxic effect by spider bites and among the infections, the disease made by cats scratch stands out. Regarding the record system, the biting animal complaint was applied to 47.6% of the BP and the 92.8% of the recorded information was incomplete.
CONCLUSIONS: Bites reported higher rates in the province of Los Andes than the average of the country (729 versus 188/100,000), standing out the higher magnitude in 6 to 10 year-old-children. It is noticed that the record is low and incomplete. In this province, no bite control programs or updated studies have been carried out.
Keywords: Dog Bites; Cat Bites; children.
Language: es |