Statistics from the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) indicate that the total number of dog bite cases increased this year from 2,381 in January to 2,971 in June before falling slightly to 2,609 in July. A majority of the victims happen to be the walkers and joggers. Interestingly, men account for nearly two-thirds of the victims. B. Asokan, Medical Superintendent of CMCH, observes that the number of cases increase during the summer vacation when more people are out on the streets.
While the number of health conscious people taking their exercise outdoors has increased, so has the population of stray dogs. The threat of rabies is reduced if the dog has been vaccinated, said the medical superintendent.
* The severity of dog bite depends on proximity of the wound to the brain. If the virus reaches the brain, there is fear of hydrophobia and death.
* The first thing any victim of dog bite should do is to wash the area with running water. Rabies spreads not only through dog bites but also through pigs, horses, bandicoots, cats, bats, monkeys and foxes.
* Anti-rabies vaccine should be administered as per the prescribed schedule. This can last anything from 30 to 90 days.
* While earlier,14 to 21 injections were administered around the abdomen to treat dog bites, advanced vaccines such as chick embryo vaccine or human diploid cell vaccine are given on the arm. In some severe cases, immuno-globins are also administered to patients.
