ABSTRACT Aim Rabies is a universally fatal yet preventable disease when post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is administered promptly and appropriately. To describe exposure characteristics, risk categorization and real‐world PEP practices among children in an endemic urban setting. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of children (< 18 years) presenting with rabies‐risk contact between January 2013 and October 2023. Data were extracted from the provincial (İzmir) rabies surveillance system and included demographics, exposure type, time to presentation, animal species, risk category, wound care, rabies vaccination, rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) and tetanus prophylaxis. Results A total of 3732 children were included (median age 9 years, IQR 5–13), with 63.3% being male. Most exposures involved dogs (49.8%) and cats (44.8%) and occurred in İzmir. Same‐day presentation occurred in 48.8% of cases, while 0.9% presented after more than 30 days. Risk categorization was documented in only 33.6% of patients, most commonly Category II (61.5%) and Category III (30.5%). RIG was administered to 2.6% of patients and more frequently after wild animal exposures. Conclusion Substantial gaps in risk documentation and variability in pediatric rabies PEP practices were observed, highlighting the need for standardized risk assessment and improved clinical guidance.
Aksay et al. (Wed,) studied this question.