Himalayan Wolf Attack of a Twelve-Year-Old Case at High Altitude

Abstract

Introduction: Animal attack is a major public health problem worldwide with mortality reported to the centre for disease control and prevention. In the United States, a person is more likely to be killed by an animal than from lightning strike. Wolves are apex predators and have attacked humans since antiquity. Wolf attacks remain a reality in the US, Canada, Russia, and India, despite advances in security and surveillance technologies. Case Presentation: A 12-year-old male sustained multiple lacerations on his face and hands leading to extensive bleeding after a predatory wolf attack at high altitude. Tachycardia with feeble pulse, tachypnea, and mild hypothermia were present. The child was managed through resuscitation, rewarming, tetanus, rabies, and antimicrobial prophylaxis, and transferred to tertiary care. Wounds were not sutured. Conclusions: Wolf-human interactions require diligent efforts for threat assessment, mitigation measures, and community responses under one health approach. Communities in close proximity of wolf populations need to be supported with real time wildlife surveillance and containment systems.