Evaluation of Rabies Immunoglobulin Administration Status in China: a Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Hospital in Beijing.

Abstract

This retrospective cross-sectional single-center study included patients with category III exposure to rabies virus between January and December 2019. Exposure characteristics and clinical data were compared and statistically analyzed between groups who were willing and unwilling to receive the rabies immunoglobin (RIG) injection, and the determinants of its administration were identified by stepwise multivariate logistic regression analyses. In total, 1,757 patients with category III exposure were enrolled: 845 men (48.1%) and 912 women (51.9%; median age: 28 [9-50] years). Among them, 1,297 (73.8%) received the RIG injection (median age: 28 [8-50] years) and 460 (26.2%) refused to receive the injection (median age: 25 [15-48] years). Patients aged 16-25 years (odds ratio [OR] = 3.006, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.957-4.619), 26-45 years (OR = 2.940, 95% CI = 2.011-4.298), 46-55 years (OR = 3.647, 95% CI = 2.233-5.959), and above 56 years (OR = 6.660, 95% CI = 4.009-11.062); those with injuries caused by cats (OR = 1.937, 95% CI = 1.476-2.542); and people with scratch (OR = 3.319, 95% CI = 2.510-4.390) and minor (OR = 35.281, 95% CI = 18.524-64.198), and moderate (OR = 12.711, 95% CI = 7.221-22.375) injuries were more likely to refuse injection. The RIG administration level in the settings studied herein was found to be insufficient. Educational and awareness programs on rabies prevention, especially those targeted at people not injured by dogs, people with minor injuries, and the elderly should be considered.