A "Shark Encounter": Delayed Primary Closure and Prophylactic Antibiotic Treatment of a Great White Shark Bite.
BACKGROUND
Shark bites are rare but sensational injuries that are covered in the lay press but are not well described in the medical literature.


METHODS
We present the case of a 50-year-old man who sustained two deep puncture wounds to his thigh from a great white shark in the waters surrounding Isla de Guadalupe off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, during a caged SCUBA dive. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: We discuss our strategy of closing the wounds in a delayed primary fashion 24 hours after injury, our antibiotic choices, and the patient's course and review marine pathogens and appropriate antibiotic coverage.
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California.
Daniel
D
Popa
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California; Division of Hyperbaric Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California; Division of Wilderness Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California.
Karen
K
Van Hoesen
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002506:Cephalexin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004242:Diving / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D024343:Open Bite / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012754:Sharks; D013848:Thigh / Q000293:injuries; D058106:Wound Closure Techniques
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D002506:Cephalexin
great white shark; marine infection; shark bite