A Study of Animal Bite Among Victims Seeking Medical Services at the Concerned Hospitals in Assiut City

Animal bites pose a major public health problem in children and adults worldwide. Numerous animal species have the potential to bite humans leading to rabies which is a disease of mammals , including dogs, wolves, foxes, cats, lions, mongooses, bats, monkeys and humans, However, the use of dogs as pets or companions, and for security, hunting, and breeding has contributed to their growing population.

Surveillance data revealed that people in Egypt experience a large number of animal bites annually with more than 200,000 animal bites recorded each year mostly from dogs. On average 60 people die annually from rabies in Egypt.

Rabies is 100% fatal disease but can be prevented with successful rabies control program which comprise of three pillars:1. Community participation; education, public awareness. 2. Access to mass vaccination of dogs. 3. Access to post bite treatment.

PEP is the administration of wound care and immunization after potential exposure to the rabies virus.

As a part of zero by 30 strategy set by WHO to control dog-mediated human rabies by 2030, the strategic advisory group of experts of the WHO needed the current scenario of health-seeking behavior of exposed individuals and the use of rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin in rabies endemic countries. In this regard, perception of victims and their attitude towards treatment forms an important role for prevention against rabies. It is also necessary to detect trends to evaluate the effect of preventive efforts implemented by the Ministry of Health.