Animal bites presenting in the pediatric emergency department at Al Qassimi Women's and Children's hospital: a cross-sectional study

Animal bites represent a major public health concern that frequently goes underreported. Dogs and cats are the most common culprits. This study aims to gather comprehensive data on patients with animal bites who visited Al Qassimi Women's and Children's Hospital (AQWCH) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The research method involves a retrospective chart review of children under 13 years old who visited the hospital's Emergency Department (ED) with a history of animal bites between January 2018 and September 2023. The study aims to identify the high-risk groups for such incidents and provide valuable insights into demographics, types, and locations of animal bites, as well as clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of patients. The majority of patients were male 708 (58%), and domestic animals 701 (72%), particularly cats 1003 (82.08%), were the primary cause of bites. Scratches were the most common type of injury, 942 (77.21%), and often occurred after provocation, 95.5%, with the right upper limb being the most affected, 492 (44.40%). The majority of patients received the rabies vaccine 1030 (84%), and no cases of rabies were recorded during the study period. In conclusion, cat and dog bites make up the majority of animal bites, and the study provides crucial insights into the characteristics and patterns of such incidents.