Doctors cite climate change for rise in animal bites, U.S. health care costs
Stanford researchers warn that the number of animal bites is likely to rise amid climate change and developmental pressures...
Dr. Joseph Forrester, the lead researcher of a study published Tuesday in the online BMJ journal Trauma Surgery and Acute Care Open, added, "We've already seen that with tick populations and mosquito populations. We would anticipate over time more people in traditionally temperate climates will be exposed."
If this prediction holds, it will add to the enormous health care costs that already exist...
The study also found that the patients most likely to be injured by bites from venomous snakes, spiders and insects were in the lowest 25 percent of household income for their ZIP code...
This poses a major public health problem in children and numerous animal species have the potential to bite humans; however, the most important are those arising from snakes, dogs, cats and monkeys.
