Bat Bites and Rabies PEP in the Croatian Reference Centre for Rabies 1995-2020.

ABSTRACT: Seroprevalence of lyssaviruses in certain bat species has been proven in the Republic of Croatia, but there have been no confirmed positive bat brain isolates or human fatalities associated with bat injuries/bites. The study included a retrospective analysis of bat injuries/bites, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and geographic distribution of bat injuries in persons examined at the Zagreb Antirabies Clinic, the Croatian Reference Centre for Rabies. In the period 1995-2020, we examined a total of 21,910 patients due to animal injuries, of which 71 cases were bat-related (0.32%). Of the above number of patients, 4574 received rabies PEP (20.87%). However, for bat injuries, the proportion of patients receiving PEP was significantly higher: 66 out of 71 patients (92.95%). Of these, 33 received

SUBMITTER: Vodopija R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11209127 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature