DOG-BITE INJURIES AT A BANGKOK TEACHING HOSPITAL

Thailand has a large domestic and stray dog population and Buddhist cultural beliefs encourage feeding and protection of stray animals. Dog bites are common injuries encountered in emergency rooms throughout the country. A prospective study of such bites seen at a teaching hospital in Bangkok revealed that: (1) dog bites represent 5.3% of injuries seen in the emergency room; (2) the majority occur on the street, are inflicated by stray dogs and are interpreted by the victim as unprovoked. Children and teenagers account for 55% of the victims. The lower extremities (54%) and upper extremities (20%) were the most common sites for bites. 9% of patients were bitten on the face or head. In addition to pain, risk of infection (approximately 13%) and the significant cost of caring for these injuries, victims often experienced prolonged anxiety because of to the generally known risk of rabies in Thailand. Due to the high cost of imported immune globulins and vaccines, rabies exposures are not always managed optimally in Asia.