Post-exposure rabies prophylaxis in humans exposed to animals in Lublin province (Eastern Poland) in 2012-2015 - A retrospective study

Human Rabies during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights into Rabies Worldwide and Brazil

Human Rabies (HR) is a fatal zoonotic disease caused by lyssaviruses, with the rabies virus (RABV) identified as the causative agent. While the incidence of HR transmitted by dogs has decreased in Latin America, there has been a corresponding rise in transmission via wild animals. Given the lack of effective treatments and specific therapies, the management of HR relies on the availability of post-exposure prophylaxis and animal control measures. This review examines the dynamics and spread of HR during the global pandemic.

The wound severity of animal bite victims visiting rabies prevention clinics and the influencing factors in Central China: a cross-sectional investigation

Background

Animal bites are a major public health problem. The more serious the bite wound is, the higher the risk of developing rabies is. This study aimed to investigate the severity of wounds among animal bite victims and identify the influencing factors in Wuhan, China.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1015 animal bite victims visiting rabies prevention clinics. We performed a face-to-face interview to collect information on the exposure category of the bite wound, the type of the offending animal, exposure-to-risk situations, etc. Factors associated with exposure categories were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

Five hundred and sixty-four (55.57%) cases were category III exposures, 418 (41.18%) were category II exposures, and 33 (3.25%) were category I exposures. People who were hurt by their own domestic animals (odds ratio [OR] = 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14–2.10), and those exposed to animals unvaccinated against rabies (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.08–1.95) had a higher risk for category III exposures. Respondents who did not know the fatality of rabies were more likely to be injured seriously compared to those who knew that rabies is fatal, and the OR was 1.40 (95% CI, 1.05–1.86).

Conclusions

This study showed that factors associated with the severity of bite wounds mainly included types of the offending animal, vaccination status of the animal, and knowledge of rabies fatality. Educational programs and awareness-raising campaigns should be provided to decrease severe animal bites, especially targeting pet owners and those with limited rabies knowledge.

Tackling the Threat of Rabies Reintroduction in Europe

Rabies is one of the oldest, most important zoonoses worldwide due to its extreme and inevitably lethal nature, causing one death every 9 min worldwide. Recent reports have demonstrated that the Lyssavirus continues more alive than ever, despite the control carried out against the virus throughout Europe. In this context, this work reviews the main immunological implications, transmission risk factors and current prevention measures for virus control in Europe, and especially in Spain.

The Story of Post-exposure Rabies Prophylaxis at the Pediatric Emergency Department

Objectives This study aimed to determine the epidemiological and medical features of suspected rabies exposures at a pediatric emergency department in a small city center in middle-northern Turkey.

Methods Data were abstracted from a standard “Rabies Suspected Animal Contact Cases Examination Form.” The following information was recorded: sociodemographic and clinical features of the victim, history of rabies vaccination, date of event, time to hospital administration, animal species and its vaccination history with owner records, type of suspected contact, wound care, tetanus prophylaxis, rabies vaccination, and forensic notifications. Immunoprophylaxis was determined as “appropriate” or “inappropriate” in accordance with the Rabies Field Guideline (2014).

Discussion A total of 306 cases were evaluated at the emergency department of the hospital. The age of the victims ranged between 1.5 and 17 years old, and 61.4% of them were males. Cat scratches were the most common source of suspected rabies exposure. Meanwhile, primary wound care and tetanus immunoprophylaxis were the frequent inappropriate medical applications. Rabies prophylaxis was completed in 76.5% of the cases. However, forensic notifications were missing. In addition, the rate of animal immunization was lower than it should be.

Conclusion Our city is rabies free; however, risky exposures are frequent among children. Lack of knowledge about first aid and animal vaccination is revealed to be a major public health problem. Health care workers should follow current guidelines to provide a holistic approach to the treatment of potential rabies exposures.