Dog Bite In the past, why was injection administered in the stomach for dog bite?

Answer - I

This is the only disease where the vaccine is given after the exposure (postexposure). Nervous tissue vaccine (NTV) is one of the vaccines administered for dog bite.

This vaccine is prepared from a fixed virus grown in the brain of adult sheep or other animal. The final vaccine is a 5 per cent emulsion of infected sheep s brain containing the inactivated virus.

These viruses do not cause the disease but still retain the antigenecity! i.e.! capability of producing the antibodies when in"ected. #fter the bite! about $-5 ml of the vaccine is administered depending upon the bite severity. %ore vaccine is administered for a longer duration for severe bites. &ites in the nec'! head! face! palm! fingers and multiple wounds are categori(ed as class three bites.

They re)uire in"ection for *+ days daily with two booster doses. ,or such volume of vaccine and duration! the ideal in"ection site is the anterior abdominal wall. This is preferred as there is a wide area and in"ection can be given at different points to avoid pain! swelling and discomfort.

%oreover the in"ections are to be given subcutaneously (below the s'in) in the fatty layer. -t is a misconception that it is given in the stomach. The needle does enter the abdominal cavity or! for that matter! any of the abdominal organs.

.n the abdominal wall s'in is held in a fold and elevated. # *.5 cm needle is used to in"ect the vaccine in the subcutaneous tissue. #fter the fold is elevated and such a needle is used there is no possibility of going beyond the subcutaneous layer of the anterior abdominal wall.

This anterior abdominal wall is divided into ten )uadrants and in"ections are given in different )uadrants each time. This again results in less pain and swelling.

Answer - II

The vaccine is given in the stomach region because of the presence of large subcutaneous layer there. /arlier version of this in"ection needs slower absorption and prolonged activity. .nly in"ection given to a subcutaneous layer can achieve this.

&uttoc's and arm region contain larger area of muscle and less of subcutaneous layer. 0ence they are not suitable sites. .ne more reason is that the stomach region can also accommodate large doses and avoid any complication. -n children despite the subcutaneous layer not being thic' and stomach not being large pose no problem as the )uantity of in"ection given is less. The improved version is a cell cultured vaccine and acts the same way as any other vaccine. -n other words it does not re)uire a subcutaneous layer. 0ence! it can be given in the buttoc's or arm region.