An increasing public health problem: Suspected rabies exposures. 2021

Ahmet Onder Porsuk, and Cigdem Cerit
Luleburgaz District Health Directorate, Kirklareli, Turkey. onderporsuk@gmail.com.

The increasing trend of rabies suspected exposures is a serious public health problem that is challenging the health systems of developing countries both in terms of labor and economics. The purpose of our study is to determine the current state of rabies suspected exposure cases. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted by retrospectively examining the applications made due to suspected exposures to a state hospital's emergency service in Turkey. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used in data analysis and p ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Between 2015 and 2019, 3,378 hospital admissions due to suspected exposures were detected (n = 3,378). The number of admissions, which was 558 in 2015, increased every year and reached 829 in 2019 (p < 0.001). Also admissions after contact with cats have increased over the years and have passed contact with dogs in 2019 (p < 0.001). Post-exposure prophylaxis was applied to all cases, but 0.8% (n = 26) of them were found to be inappropriate according to guidelines. It was observed that 38.3% of overall cases examined were individuals aged 19 and under. It was also observed that 69.1% (n = 2,326) of the suspected exposures were caused by owned animals (p < 0.001). The case rates seen in children indicate the need for special studies for children. Applications for suspected exposures due to contact with cats were found to be a growing problem. Therefore, it was concluded that the patterns of rabies suspected exposure cases in Turkey and similar developing countries should be monitored regularly and measures should be taken according to local needs. Besides, stray animals in cities must be minimized and all animals living in cities owned or stray, must be monitored in terms of vaccination.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011634 Public Health Branch of medicine concerned with the prevention and control of disease and disability, and the promotion of physical and mental health of the population on the international, national, state, or municipal level. Community Health,Environment, Preventive Medicine & Public Health,Environment, Preventive Medicine and Public Health,Health, Community,Health, Public
D011818 Rabies Acute VIRAL CNS INFECTION affecting mammals, including humans. It is caused by RABIES VIRUS and usually spread by contamination with virus-laden saliva of bites inflicted by rabid animals. Important animal vectors include the dog, cat, bat, fox, raccoon, skunk, and wolf. Encephalitic Rabies,Furious Rabies,Hydrophobia,Paralytic Rabies,Lyssa,Furious Raby,Lyssas,Rabies, Encephalitic,Rabies, Furious,Raby, Furious
D002415 Cats The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801) Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D003430 Cross-Sectional Studies Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time. Disease Frequency Surveys,Prevalence Studies,Analysis, Cross-Sectional,Cross Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Survey,Surveys, Disease Frequency,Analyses, Cross Sectional,Analyses, Cross-Sectional,Analysis, Cross Sectional,Cross Sectional Analyses,Cross Sectional Studies,Cross Sectional Survey,Cross-Sectional Analyses,Cross-Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Study,Cross-Sectional Surveys,Disease Frequency Survey,Prevalence Study,Studies, Cross-Sectional,Studies, Prevalence,Study, Cross-Sectional,Study, Prevalence,Survey, Cross-Sectional,Survey, Disease Frequency,Surveys, Cross-Sectional
D004285 Dogs The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, comprising about 400 breeds, of the carnivore family CANIDAE. They are worldwide in distribution and live in association with people. (Walker's Mammals of the World, 5th ed, p1065) Canis familiaris,Dog
D004636 Emergency Service, Hospital Hospital department responsible for the administration and provision of immediate medical or surgical care to the emergency patient. Emergency Outpatient Unit,Emergency Services Utilization,Hospital Emergency Room,Hospital Emergency Service,Hospital Emergency Services Utilization,Accident and Emergency Department,Emergency Departments,Emergency Hospital Service,Emergency Room,Emergency Units,Emergency Ward,Hospital Service Emergency,Service, Hospital Emergency,Department, Emergency,Departments, Emergency,Emergencies, Hospital Service,Emergency Department,Emergency Hospital Services,Emergency Outpatient Units,Emergency Room, Hospital,Emergency Rooms,Emergency Rooms, Hospital,Emergency Services, Hospital,Emergency Unit,Emergency Wards,Emergency, Hospital Service,Hospital Emergency Rooms,Hospital Emergency Services,Hospital Service Emergencies,Hospital Service, Emergency,Hospital Services, Emergency,Outpatient Unit, Emergency,Outpatient Units, Emergency,Room, Emergency,Room, Hospital Emergency,Rooms, Emergency,Rooms, Hospital Emergency,Service Emergencies, Hospital,Service Emergency, Hospital,Service, Emergency Hospital,Services Utilization, Emergency,Services Utilizations, Emergency,Services, Emergency Hospital,Services, Hospital Emergency,Unit, Emergency,Unit, Emergency Outpatient,Units, Emergency,Units, Emergency Outpatient,Utilization, Emergency Services,Ward, Emergency,Wards, Emergency

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