A pediatric patient may be bitten by a rat. The rat may be an environmental pest or a pet.
Features of a typical rat bite victim:
(1) infant or young child < 5 years of age
(2) poor urban resident
(3) neglected
(4) during the summer (with less skin covering)
(5) sleeping on or close to the ground
Risk Factor for Urban Rat Bite |
Prevention |
high numbers of rats in the environment |
rodent control |
impoverished living conditions |
better housing |
vulnerable victim (infant, paralysis, inebriated, etc) who is unable to resist the rat |
protect anyone who is vulnerable |
absence of parent or guardian due to intoxication, abandonment, etc. |
proper supervision |
large amount of exposed skin |
little exposed skin |
warm environment |
|
on or near the floor |
off the ground in a protected bed |
living in the basement or first floor |
moving to a second or higher story |
Risk factors for bites from a pet rat:
(1) poking or taunting the rat
(2) sleeping with the rat in bed
(3) being intoxicated
Specialty: Emergency Medicine, Critical Care