Ten years survey of animal bites in Khuzestan

ABSTRACT

Animal bites and stings are among the most common injuries in Iran and worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and characteristics of the injuries caused by animal in the population of Khuzestan admitted in educational hospital emergency departments. In this retrospective study medical records of 894 admitted patients with animal bite or sting were studied. Data including epidemiological aspects, clinical findings and outcomes of treatment were analyzed in SPSS 11.5 by using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Out of total 894 patients 61.9% were male, median age of male and female was 24.4 years and 26.2 years respectively. Dog, scorpion, mouse and snake were the most common animal species with the frequency of 69%, 12.6%, 8.8% and 4.4% respectively. Feet [58.05%] and hands [30.65%] were the most common body part affected, followed by face and other parts. One hundred Twenty seven patients had infectious complications, among them soft tissue infection 94[74.05%], sepsis 28[22.04%] and endocarditis 5[3.91%]. Thirty five case [3.91%] died of animal bites and stings, among them 28[80%] due to scorpion sting, 4[11.4%] related to dog and 3[8.6%] from snake bite. No rabid case was observed in these patients. Animal bite is a major public health problem in Khuzestan with a high frequency, significantly high percentage of hospitalization and considerable mortality