Caracterización clínica y epidemiológica de mordedura de perros en pacientes pediátricos atendidos en el Hospital de Niños Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde

Bites in pediatric patients are caused in 80-90% by dogs, representing up to 1.5% of emergency room consultations. Most cases occur in children between 5 and 9 years old, although minors are at greater risk of death, since the injuries usually affect the face, head or neck. Commonly, attacks come from family dogs or neighbors, with breeds such as pit bulls, chows, rottweilers, huskies, and German shepherds implicated in deadly incidents. The incidence of infections is 15-20%, appearing between 24 and 72 hours after the incident, with symptoms such as fever, erythema and abscesses. Treatment includes analgesics and antibiotics, with amoxicillin/clavulanic being the first line. Wound suturing is discussed because of the risk of infection, although early management usually reduces infection and improves aesthetic results. This observational, retrospective, and descriptive study analyzed medical records at the Roberto Gilbert Elizalde Hospital from January 2020 to August 2024. There were 348 cases of dog bites, with an increase in 2021 (99 cases). 41.10% of the patients were women and 58.90% men; 39.95% were between 5 and 10 years old. The most frequent bites occurred on the face (25.80%), lip (14%) and eyes (8.90%). 62.60% of bites were caused by family dogs. 47.41% required hospitalization, and 10.63% received rabies vaccination, concluding that dog bites are a common cause of emergency room visits, especially in school children, and generally come from family dogs. Key words: Dog bite, Infection, children.