title: Bacterial infection in association with snakebite: a 10-year experience in a northern Taiwan medical center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microbiological data of secondary wound infections following snakebites is rarely reported in Taiwan. The objective of this study was to assess the secondary wound infection after venomous snakebites.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a 10-year retrospective survey on patients admitted for venomous snakebites and microbiological data of wound cultures at a medical center in northern Taiwan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between April 2001 and April 2010, 231 patients who experienced snakebites were included. Male predominated, accounting for 62.3% (144). The age range of patients was 4-95 years. Ninety-five (41.1%) people were bitten by Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus, followed by Tstejnegeri, and cobra. A total of 61 pathogens were obtained from 21 patients. Thirty-nine (63.9%) isolates were gram-negative bacteria, 14 (23%) gram-positive pathogens, and 8 (13.1%) anaerobic pathogens. There were 17 patients bitten by cobra in these 21 patients. Morganella morganii and Enterococcus species were the most common pathogens identified in the wound cultures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cobra bite causes more severe bacterial infection than other kinds of snakebites. Oral amoxicillin/clavulanate plus ciprofloxacin or parenteral piperacillin/tazobactam alone can be the choices for empirical or definitive treatment, and surgical intervention should be considered for established invasive soft tissue infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Keh-Gong
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chun-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chuang-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017815:Elapidae; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D020613:Morganella morganii / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012909:Snake Bites / Q000382:microbiology*; D013624:Taiwan; D017819:Viperidae
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents