[Bite wound infections].
BACKGROUND
The lifetime risk of experiencing a bite wound, human or animal, is approximately 50%, and bite wounds account for approximately 1% of all visits to emergency departments. The majority of bite wounds are inflicted by dogs and cats.


METHODS
A review of the literature on the diagnosis and treatment of bite wound infections is presented.


RESULTS
The most common pathogens associated with bite wounds are Streptococcus species, Staphylococcus species, Pasteurella multocida, Capnocytophaga canimorsus and anaerobic bacteria. Sporadically other pathogens are isolated from bite wounds. Human bites differ from animal bites by higher prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and Eikenella corrodens.


CONCLUSIONS
It is important to be aware of the possibility of complicating infections following bite wounds, particularly after cat bites. Phenoxymethyl penicillin should be the drug of choice in treatment of infections associated with cat and dog bites. However, in case of slow recovery or no improvement, simultaneous lymphadenopathy or pneumonia, S. aureus or Francisella tularensis should be suspected; ciprofloxacin is recommended. For human bite infections the recommend treatment is phenoxymethyl penicillin in combination with penicillinase-stable penicillin.
Yaqub
Sheraz
S
Infeksjonsmedisinsk seksjon, Akershus universitetssykehus, 1474 Nordbyhagen. sheraz.yaqub@basalmed.uio.no
Bjørnholt
Jørgen V
JV
Hellum
Kjell B
KB
Steinbakk
Martin
M
Enger
Asle E
AE
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D001734:Bites, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D010404:Penicillin V / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010404:Penicillin V