Dog bite injuries.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the extent of the dog bite problem in New Zealand for the period 1989 to 2001.


METHODS
Fatalities and cases requiring public-hospital treatment identified from the New Zealand Health Information Service databases.


RESULTS
There was one fatality and 3119 hospitalisations, an average of 240 per year. Those most at risk were males and children under 9 years of age. The incidence rate of dog bites has continued to increase from that reported previously. There has been a increase in recent years but it is difficult to determine whether this is real effect or an artefact of coding.


CONCLUSIONS
Dog bite injuries represent a significant public health problem in New Zealand. Ongoing monitoring is required to determine if dog control policies are having the intended effect.
Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Louise
L
Marsh
John
J
Langley
Robin
R
Gauld
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology