Number of dog-bite cases on the rise

Rawalpindi:The number of dog-bite cases being reported at the allied hospitals in town including Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital has been on a significant rise after the setting in of extreme hot weather in this region of the country.

Experts say that it is time for individuals to remain vigilant and avoid contact with the stray dogs as in extreme hot and humid weather conditions prevailing in most parts of the country including the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the chances of incidence of rabies may increase among stray dogs causing a significant increase in the number of dog-bite cases and consequently rabies among victims.

It has been observed that in the extreme hot weather conditions, the stray dogs get rabid more often. Data collected by ‘The News’ has revealed that BBH and DHQ Hospital are receiving well over 10 dog-bite cases every week after the setting in of summer and the number of cases is on the rise.

It is important to mention here that most of the dog-bite cases are being reported from peripheries of the twin cities while the number of unreported cases are far more than the reported ones. Many dog-bite victims report to quacks or ‘darbars’ in the region for treatment without knowing the consequences of rabies, one of the most neglected diseases in Pakistan.

Experts say that to minimize losses, there is a need to create awareness among public on various aspects of rabies, which is 100 per cent fatal after developing symptoms. Rabies, one of the oldest and deadliest diseases known to mankind, is said to be the mother of all infectious diseases and it is believed that nothing can be more painful and horrific than rabies. Known as the poor man’s disease, rabies, also known as “Hydrophobia” (fear of water), is an acute infectious zoonotic disease of the central nervous system, which can affect almost all mammals, including humans and is transmitted to other animals and humans through close contact with saliva of infected animals through bites, scratches, licks on broken skin and mucous membranes. In most of the cases in this region of the world, the rabid animal is dog. After appearance, rabies causes convulsions, inability to move and strange behaviour developing hydrophobia (an extremely intense aversion to water, especially the fear of drinking water or other liquids) in the victim resulting in ultimate death.

In case of a rabid animal bite case, the virus spreads from the injured part to the nerves and on to the spinal cord that damaging victim’s brain ultimately results in death.

Experts say that if a stray dog bites a person and disappears or dies or is killed, the victim must report to the nearest healthcare facility and get anti-rabies tissue culture vaccine (TCV) that is given in at least five doses intramuscular schedule of 1ml on Day 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28. A booster dose on 90th day is also advised in the deltoid muscle while anti-rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) should also be administered in severe biting cases of suspect animals.

After exposure to the rabies, there is no treatment at all. It is important that the disease period from the entrance of the virus into the body till the appearance of symptoms is between three to 12 weeks normally and in rare cases can exceed up to six months or many years. The common carriers of the disease are dogs, the commonest ones, in Pakistan. The administration of anti-rabies vaccine, however, must be started from the day of the bite, Day 0.

The teaching hospitals, BBH and DHQ Hospital, in town are providing TCV to dog-bite victims free of cost in emergency departments however RIG, which is much more costly is not given to the victims. A number of victims complain that DHQ Hospital and BBH are providing only the first dose of TCV free of cost and not providing the whole course of treatment free of cost to the dog-bite victims.