Abstract
It commonly is rumored that in large scale disasters, packs of dogs present a human health hazard because of dog bites. However, it is likely that factors other than pack behavior comprise greater risk factors for dog bites in disaster-response personnel. Important risk factors include: 1) the density of the human population, which in turn, determines the number of dogs at a disaster site; 2) territorial behavior of dogs at their site of residence, which determines the frequency with which dogs may bite; and 3) whether rabies is present at endemic or epidemic levels within the area in which the disaster is occurring, which determines the likelihood of fatal outcomes. Persons bitten by a dog should seek medical attention as contraction of rabies may result in a fatal outcome from a dog bite. It is recommended that disaster response personnel obtain pre-exposure vaccination against rabies. Vaccinated or not, they immediately should seek post-exposure treatment for rabies following potential exposure.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 58-62 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Prehospital and disaster medicine : the official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the World Association for Emergency and Disaster Medicine in association with the Acute Care Foundation |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 2-4 |
| State | Published - 1998 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Risk factors, prevention and prophylaxis of dog bites for disaster response personnel in the United States. / Heath, S. E.; Chomel, Bruno B.
In: Prehospital and disaster medicine : the official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the World Association for Emergency and Disaster Medicine in association with the Acute Care Foundation, Vol. 13, No. 2-4, 1998, p. 58-62.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Risk factors, prevention and prophylaxis of dog bites for disaster response personnel in the United States.
AU - Heath, S. E.
AU - Chomel, Bruno B
PY - 1998
Y1 - 1998
N2 - It commonly is rumored that in large scale disasters, packs of dogs present a human health hazard because of dog bites. However, it is likely that factors other than pack behavior comprise greater risk factors for dog bites in disaster-response personnel. Important risk factors include: 1) the density of the human population, which in turn, determines the number of dogs at a disaster site; 2) territorial behavior of dogs at their site of residence, which determines the frequency with which dogs may bite; and 3) whether rabies is present at endemic or epidemic levels within the area in which the disaster is occurring, which determines the likelihood of fatal outcomes. Persons bitten by a dog should seek medical attention as contraction of rabies may result in a fatal outcome from a dog bite. It is recommended that disaster response personnel obtain pre-exposure vaccination against rabies. Vaccinated or not, they immediately should seek post-exposure treatment for rabies following potential exposure.
AB - It commonly is rumored that in large scale disasters, packs of dogs present a human health hazard because of dog bites. However, it is likely that factors other than pack behavior comprise greater risk factors for dog bites in disaster-response personnel. Important risk factors include: 1) the density of the human population, which in turn, determines the number of dogs at a disaster site; 2) territorial behavior of dogs at their site of residence, which determines the frequency with which dogs may bite; and 3) whether rabies is present at endemic or epidemic levels within the area in which the disaster is occurring, which determines the likelihood of fatal outcomes. Persons bitten by a dog should seek medical attention as contraction of rabies may result in a fatal outcome from a dog bite. It is recommended that disaster response personnel obtain pre-exposure vaccination against rabies. Vaccinated or not, they immediately should seek post-exposure treatment for rabies following potential exposure.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0032035032&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 1999126462
AN - SCOPUS:0032035032
VL - 13
SP - 58
EP - 62
JO - Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
JF - Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
SN - 1049-023X
IS - 2-4
ER -