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Emergency Management of Animal-Related Injuries in Children: An Observational Multicenter Italian Study
Onorina Di Mita1, Margherita Rosa1, Laura Ruggiero1
1Pediatric Emergency Department, "Santobono-Pausilipon" Children's Hospital.
Pediatric Emergency Care
|February 24, 2025
Summary
Pediatric animal-related injuries (ARIs) often require minimal emergency care. Antibiotic use in children is more common for large wounds from wild animals, highlighting a need for standardized treatment protocols.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Animal-related injuries (ARIs) are a frequent cause of pediatric emergency department (ED) visits.
- Limited data exist on the management of ARIs in Italian EDs.
- Understanding treatment patterns is crucial for improving care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of children with ARIs in Italian EDs.
- To investigate the association between patient/injury factors and therapeutic interventions.
- To specifically examine antibiotic prescription patterns for pediatric ARIs.
Main Methods:
- Prospective enrollment of 442 pediatric patients with ARIs across 13 EDs in 11 Italian regions over 20 months.
- Collection of clinical data, injury details, and treatment information.
- Statistical analysis to identify factors associated with treatment, including antibiotic use.
Main Results:
- Most injuries occurred outdoors; pets, particularly dogs, were the most common animal source (excluding insect bites).
- Antibiotic prescription was significantly higher for injuries caused by wild animals, lacerations, and larger wounds.
- Insect-related injuries (IRIs) received more steroids/antihistamines, while non-insect-related injuries (non-IRIs) had higher antibiotic rates.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric ARIs generally require limited emergency management.
- Antibiotic use is more prevalent for severe injuries inflicted by wild animals.
- Standardized monitoring and management strategies for both IRIs and non-IRIs are needed to enhance public health interventions.
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