OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of animal-related injuries and summarize the epidemiological features of the affected population using the hospital's emergency department electronic medical record system. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted, collecting data on animal-related injuries (dogs, cats, rodents, or other animals) as recorded in the outpatient registration system of the emergency department at Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province from October 8, 2022, to October 30, 2023. The study variables encompassed patient demographic characteristics (gender, age, occupation, residence, etc.), and injury characteristics (date and location of injury, type of animal inflicting the injury, level of exposure, wound site, number of wounds, vaccination history, etc.). Descriptive statistics and univariate analysis were performed on the collected data. RESULTS: From October 8, 2022, to October 30, 2023, a total of 1 266 cases of animal bites were attended to in our hospital's emergency department. A distinct seasonal pattern was observed in the monthly distribution of animal bite patients, with a consistent presence throughout the year and notable fluctuations. There was a higher incidence during the summer and autumn (July to October), and a lower incidence during the winter and spring (December to the following March), marking a relatively quiescent period. The study included 680 female cases (53.7%) and 586 male cases (46.3%), with a median age of 27 years (range 11 months to 88 years). The majority of patients were clerks or workers (50.2%), followed by students (21.6%), laborers (8.5%), and retirees (3.6%). The majority of patients were local residents (90.6%), and the majority had no history of rabies vaccination (76.9%), with only 3 cases (0.2%) having pre-exposure immunization. Among the four types of animal bites, cat bites predominated (64.5%), followed by dog bites (28.7%), rodent bites (4.9%), and bites from other animals (1.9%). The time from injury to consultation was 0 (0-40) days. Most patients experienced a level III exposure (76.3%), with level II exposure being less common (23.2%), and level I exposure being the least frequent (0.5%). The upper limbs were the most common site of injury (72.1%), followed by the lower limbs (21.2%), and the trunk was the least affected (2.6%). The majority of patients had a single wound (75.8%), and the majority of injuries occurred at home (90.2%). The number of patients who self-cleaned their wounds was comparable to those who sought outpatient treatment. When stratified by age and gender, the age of 18 to 39 years group was identified as the high-incidence demographic for all four types of animal bites. In this age group, except for injuries caused by mice, injuries caused by other animals were more common in females than males. CONCLUSIONS The proportion of injuries caused by cats in animal-related incidents in the emergency department of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, is significantly high. The majority of patients lack a history of rabies vaccination and pre-exposure immunization. There is a higher incidence of cases during the summer and autumn months, with a prolonged high-incidence period. The utilization of emergency department data on animal injuries provides a convenient and sustainable method for monitoring animal bites, representing a novel approach to comprehensive surveillance data and serving as a valuable supplement to the existing disease control surveillance system.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Animals ; Bites and Stings/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data* ; Adult ; Adolescent ; Child ; Aged ; Young Adult ; Child, Preschool ; Electronic Health Records ; Infant ; Cats ; Aged, 80 and over ; Dogs ; China/epidemiology*

From 2011 to 2020, there were 111 213 cases of rabies exposed people recruited from the rabies immunization clinic of a hospital in Beijing. The monthly distribution of patients in each year was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The distribution of patients showed remarkable seasonality, with the exposure peak from May to October. The ratio of male to female was 1∶1.3. The majority of patients were aged 20-29 years old (39.1%) and in-service personnel (56.5%). Level-Ⅱ wounds (84.2%) were more common than level-Ⅲ wounds (14.9%). The number of visits to level-Ⅲwounds increased rapidly since 2017. The most common injured body part was hand (60.7%). Dogs were the most common animal for injuries (60.6%), followed by cats (32.3%), of which most were host animals (75.5%). The vaccination rate from 2016 to 2020 [49.8% (24 276/48 703)] was significantly higher than that from 2011 to 2015[18.6% (6 559/35 272)](χ²=8597.18, P<0.001).
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Animals ; Bites and Stings/epidemiology* ; Dogs ; Female ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Male ; Rabies/prevention & control* ; Rabies Vaccines/therapeutic use* ; Vaccination

Rabies remains a continuous threat to public health in Beijing. In this study, a total of 224 brain tissues were collected from suspected infected stray dogs within Beijing between January 2015 and December 2016. Among them, total of 67 samples were diagnosed positive for rabies. In the phylogenetic analysis, rabies in Beijing is currently a relatively independent public health issue originating from local rabid dogs apart from the imported cases from elsewhere in the country. Because vaccination of unregistered dogs against rabies is still neglected in Beijing and other regions of China, national and local authorities should play central roles in all related aspects, such as development of policies, engagement of stakeholders for public and professional education, entire vaccination process, and animal management.
Animals ; Beijing ; epidemiology ; Bites and Stings ; epidemiology ; Dog Diseases ; virology ; Dogs ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Public Health ; Rabies ; prevention & control ; transmission ; veterinary ; virology ; Rabies Vaccines ; immunology ; Rabies virus ; genetics ; Zoonoses

PURPOSE: Differences in definitions of the condition, relevant triggers, and the geographical locations of study centers, cause estimates of the prevalence of anaphylaxis to vary. Recent epidemiological data indicate that the incidence of anaphylaxis is rising. METHODS: To investigate the causes and clinical features of anaphylaxis in Korean adults, factors associated with the severity of the condition, and serious outcomes, a retrospective medical record review was performed on adult patients diagnosed with anaphylaxis between 2007 and 2011 in 15 University Hospitals of South Korea. RESULTS: A total of 1,806 cases (52% male, age 16-86 years) were reported. Cutaneous symptoms (84.0%), combined with respiratory (53.9%) and/or cardiovascular (55.4%) symptoms, were the most frequent presentations. Using a recognized grading system, 1,776 cases could be classified as either mild, 340; moderate, 690; or severe, 746. Although eliciting factors varied significantly by age, gender, and regional and seasonal factors, drugs (46.5%; including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and radiocontrast media) were the most common cause of anaphylaxis, followed by foods (24.2%), insect stings (16.4%), exercise (5.9%), and unknown etiology (7.0%). All of age, multi-organ involvement, a history of allergic disease, and drug-induced anaphylaxis, were significant predictors of serious outcomes requiring hospital admission or prolongation of hospital stay. Epinephrine auto-injectors were prescribed for 7.4% of reported cases. CONCLUSIONS: The principal causes of anaphylaxis in Korean adults were drugs, food, and insect stings. Drug-associated anaphylaxis, a history of allergic disease, multi-organ involvement, and older age, were identified as predictors of serious outcomes.
Adult* ; Anaphylaxis* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Epidemiology ; Epinephrine ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Insect Bites and Stings ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Medical Records ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies* ; Seasons

OBJECTIVETo define and evaluate the malaria transmission potential in the Yangtze River, following construction of the Three Gorges Reservoir.

METHODSSix villages, namely, Kaixian, Fengjie, Wanzhou, Fuling, Yubei, and Zigui were selected for investigating the malaria transmission potential in the reservoir. Transmission potential was estimated by mathematical modeling and evaluation of the local malaria situation. Factors that influenced the transmission potential were analyzed using Poisson regression analysis in combination with Grey Systematic Theory (based on evaluation by the Delphi method).

RESULTSIndirect fluorescent antibody data and the incidence of malaria in the local population were consistent with the malaria transmission potential calculated for the area. Multivariate Poisson regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between the riparian zone and the man-biting rate.

CONCLUSIONThe risk of a malaria epidemic can be forecasted using the malaria transmission potential parameters investigated here which was closely correlated with the riparian zone.

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Culicidae ; physiology ; Epidemics ; prevention & control ; Housing ; Humans ; Insect Bites and Stings ; Malaria ; epidemiology ; transmission ; Rivers ; Water Resources

A healthy 30-yr-old woman carrying an insect that had been caught in her living room visited the International Clinic at Severance Hospital, Seoul, in December 2007. The insect she brought was identified to be a nymph of a bedbug, Cimex lectularius, and her skin rashes looked typical bedbug's bites. Her apartment was investigated, and a dead body of a bedbug, cast skins, and hatched eggs were found in her rooms and neighbors' rooms in the same building. She was living in that apartment in Seoul for 9 months since she had moved from New Jersey, USA. We assume that the bedbugs were introduced from abroad, since there had been no report on bedbugs in Seoul for more than 2 decades at least. This is a report of a reemergence of the common bedbug, C. lectularius in Seoul, Korea.
Adult ; Animals ; *Bedbugs/anatomy & histology ; Dermatitis/*pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Insect Bites and Stings/*pathology ; Insecticides ; Korea/epidemiology

Ambulatory Care Facilities ; statistics & numerical data ; Animals ; Bites and Stings ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Dogs ; Humans ; Outpatients ; statistics & numerical data

Allergy skin prick test and intradermal test represent one of the major tools in the diagnosis of IgE- mediated diseases like as atopic asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food and drug allergy, and insect bite when properly performed. Skin tests are of particular importance in fields such as allergen standardization, pharmacology, and epidemiology. Even if skin tests seem easy to perform, adequate and proper interpretation requires well-trained physicians who can recognize the numerous factors that may modify the results of skin tests.
Asthma ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Diagnosis ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; Epidemiology ; Hypersensitivity ; Insect Bites and Stings ; Intradermal Tests ; Pharmacology ; Rhinitis ; Skin Tests* ; Skin*

BACKGROUND: The relative lack of knowledge and interest in arthropod bites has made it difficult to investigate centipede envenomation in Korea. OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of centipede bites in Korea. METHODS: A prospective study of clinical manifestations in patients with centipede bites was performed during the period of May 2004 to April 2005. Factors investigated included sex, age, location and time of assaults, affected parts of the body, signs and symptoms, treatment modalities, and complications. All centipedes that were involved were brought to the clinic, examined, and species-identified. RESULTS: A total of 29 cases of centipede bite were identified. Scolopendra subspinipes was the causative centipede in all cases. Centipede bites occurred exclusively in summer (June, July, and August). Most of the bites which occurred during the daytime happened outdoors, whereas most nocturnal assaults happened indoors. All patients were bitten on an exposed area and the fingers (37.9%) were the most frequent sites of involvement. Local reactions developed at the bitten sites and usually remained localized. Erythema (100%) and local swelling (79.3%) were the most prominent features. The majority of patients did not show severe systemic symptoms. Most lesions healed completely within a week, without complications. CONCLUSION: Centipede bites are a common occurrance in rural and island areas during the summer season. Dermatologists need to be aware of the clinical manifestations in order to make an appropriate diagnosis and proper treatment decision.
Arthropods ; Bites and Stings ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Erythema ; Fingers ; Humans ; Korea ; Prospective Studies ; Seasons

OBJECTIVETo analyse the related epidemic factors of rabies and to provide basic evidence for developing rabies control and prevention programs in China.

METHODSPossible factors that causing rabies epidemics in the southern part of China were obtained through collecting both epidemic and surveillance data of rabies in 2005, and to analyse every factor by software of Excel 2002.

RESULTSThe number of rabies cases was 2548 in 2005. Among 885 cases being investigated, 60.56%, 49.04%, 96.16% had not had any chance to receive treatment, vaccine or immunoglobulin. Among the exposed persons, 89.95% received treatment on wounds and 94.93% were immunized, and 8.56% received immunoglobulin. 94.86% of them accomplished the full rabies post-exposure prophylaxis course, but 8.56% of them did not accomplish it. 88.50% of the cases and 92% of the persons under exposure were bitten by dogs. The density of dogs was 3.20-13.37 per 100 persons. The vaccination coverage rates among dogs were 5.31% -75.11% with a positive rate of 2.93 % -6.40%.

CONCLUSIONFactors as: low rate of post-exposure prophylaxis and failed to have finished the necessary post-exposure treatment (PET) of the cases, nonstandard PET in hospital or local clinic, low rabies vaccination coverage and high infectivity of rabies virus in animal host (mainly for dog) might be responsible for rabies epidemics in China, in 2005.

Animals ; Bites and Stings ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Dogs ; Humans ; Population Surveillance ; Post-Exposure Prophylaxis ; Rabies ; epidemiology ; Rabies Vaccines ; administration & dosage