title: Mismanagement of cat bite wound: lessons to learn.
abstract: Animal inflicted wounds, left untreated may result in chronic bacterial or fungal infection. Clinical features of these infections may overlap leading to a delay in diagnosis and treatment. We report a case of chronic non-healing cat bite wound treated with several antibiotics without improvement. Later patient developed the classical "sporotrichoid spread" and a presumptive diagnosis of sporotrichosis was made. Laboratory investigation for fungal culture and skin biopsy failed to identify the underlying pathogen. A trial of oral antifungal agent resulted in complete recovery of the lesions implicating fungus as the causative pathogen. Physicians should have a high index of suspicion for fungal infections when managing animal inflicted wounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. drleelaraj@gmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leelavathi
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Siti Aishah
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jamil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002415:Cats; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy