Epidemiology

Dog bites account for nearly 70% of hospital admissions for mammalian bites in the UK.[1] Between 1998 and 2018, there were an estimated 207,000 emergency department visits per year for dog bites, and in one community, nearly one quarter of people report having been bitten by a dog in their lifetime.[2][3]​​ Around three people die per year from dog bite related injuries in England and Wales, and this has not increased between 2001 and 2021.[4] However, there has been an 88% increase in hospital attendances for dog-related injuries between 2007 and 2021-2022.[5]

In the US, around 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year. Of these, over 850,000 seek medical attention, with approximately 30,000 requiring reconstructive procedures. Additionally, 3% to 18% of these cases lead to infections, and between 10 to 20 result in fatalities.[6] There was an average of 337,103 emergency department visits per year between 2005-2013, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 43 people died per year in the US between 2011-2021 from dog bite injuries.[7][8]​​ In 2016, 45 fatal dog-related injuries were reported in the Europe, which corresponds to an incidence of 0.009 per 100,000 residents. Similar estimates have been reported in the US (0.011) and Canada (0.007), with Australia having a lower estimate (0.004).[9]

Children are more often bitten by dogs than adults, with hospital admissions peaking in 5-9 year olds.[2] Between 1998 and 2018, hospital admission rates in children remained stable, however adult rates increased threefold.[2][5]​ The main area of injury is variable between children and adults, with children more commonly suffering injuries to the head and neck, and adults to the upper extremities.[5][7]​ Men are bitten more often than women.​[2]​​​[3][4][7]​​​

Cat bites are the second most common type of animal bite worldwide, accounting for 3% to 25% of animal bite injuries, and occur most frequently in adult women.[6][10]​​​ Bites from rodents such as rats, mice, and squirrels are also common, and result in an estimated 12,700 emergency department visits in the US per year. Children younger than 10 years are most frequently bitten.[11] Human bites are rarer than bites caused by animals and account for 2% to 3% of bites to the hand, however incidence is likely underestimated because patients may not seek medical attention.[12][13]

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