A descriptive study on epidemiological profile of patients presenting with animal bites at a rural health facility in Uttarakhand, India.

Abstract

Rabies is a viral disease caused by Lyssavirus type 1, primarily affecting warm-blooded animals, especially carnivores like dogs and cats. It is classified as a neglected tropical disease and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. Rabies spreads through saliva, typically via bites or scratches from infected animals, and 95% of global rabies deaths occur in Africa and Asia. In India, around 6-7 million animal bites are reported annually, with dogs responsible for 95% of rabies cases. The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical - social profile of animal bite cases attending outpatient departments at a rural health facility in a northern hilly state of India. The objective of the study was to study the epidemiological characteristics of animal bite cases attending the outpatient department. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at a rural health facility under the Department of Community and Family Medicine in a northern hilly state of India. All cases of animal bites who were presented at the health care facility were enumerated and were contacted by telephone to obtain information after obtaining verbal consent. A total of 63 cases of animal bites presented to the outpatient clinic at a rural health facility were included in the study. Most animal bite victims (58.8%) had category III bites. 76.2% had taken a full course of anti-rabies vaccination as suggested by the healthcare provider at the facility, while 22.2% had left the vaccination in between. The findings indicate that while rabies is preventable with appropriate medical intervention, gaps in knowledge regarding rabies transmission and PEP protocols persist among the local population.