Risk factors associated with infection in patients sustaining dog bites to the face.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to identify which patient-level factors, if any, influence the risk of infection following dog bite wounds to the face.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID). The primary predictor variable was the type of facial injury. The primary outcome variable was the presence of facial infection. SPSS was used to perform statistical analyses and statistical significance was set at a P-value of < 0.05.

RESULTS

Our final sample comprised a total of 4,420 patients who suffered dog bites to the face, of which 1,237 (28.0%) resulted in infection. Open wound (n = 4,176, 94.5%) was the most common facial injury, followed by bone fractures (n = 105, 2.4%). Relative to children 16-20 years old, children who were 0-5 years old were three times more likely to develop an infection (P < 0.01). Finally, open wounds (P < 0.01) were over seven times more likely to get infected relative to fractures.

CONCLUSIONS

Young children, particularly those below the age of five, are vulnerable to dog bite wounds to the face. Open wounds posed the greatest risk of getting infected.