Knowledge regarding rabies and post exposure practice among the animal bite victims attending a tertiary care rural hospital of West Bengal, India

Introduction:The most fatal but completely preventable zoonotic disease rabies is endemic in India and caused by a variety of animals other than dogs. But lack of knowledge about the disease, wound management and anti-rabies vaccine along with presence of certain misconceptions & myths, render victims away from timely and appropriate care. As the disease is not a notifiable one in India, scanty and disintegrated data hinders administrative planning and strategy making. Data generated in North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, tertiary level institute of West Bengal, could help in planning and policy making.Objectives: The study was conducted to know the socio-demographic characteristics of animal bite victims attending emergency department of North Bengal Medical College & Hospital, to identify their knowledge regarding rabies and to find out post exposure practice amongst them after animal bite.Materials and methods: : Observational descriptive hospital-based study with cross-sectional design was carried out for 1 month in emergency department of North Bengal Medical College & Hospital among animal bite victims attending the emergency during the study period. Complete enumeration was done and by using pre-structured, pre-tested schedule data was collected from eligible and willing subjects. Data of 116 subjects were arranged in Microsoft excel 2007, analyzed and presented in tables & charts following principles of descriptive statistics.Results: Mean age of the study population was 28.69 ± 13.54 yrs. Majority of them were male (57.76%), residing at rural areas (79.31%) and had educational attainment of class VI or more (65.52%). Only 40.2% subjects from rural area knew about vaccine against rabies while a lesser 33.7% knew that rabies was fatal. Almost a fifth (18.1%) of the victims tried other therapies before coming to emergency and the practice is more among rural residents. Health care was sought within 6 hours of bite by 56% of the victims.Conclusion:Study subjects from rural population lack knowledge regarding rabies. Their practice is also governed by their social structure and myths. Education on rabies and primary wound management through School Health program may help. People should get enough awareness raising program on animal bite and rabies prevention.