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Current Management of Human Bites
Author(s) -
Bunzli William F.,
Wright David H.,
Hoang AnhThu D.,
Dahms Robert D.,
Hass Wayne F.,
Rotschafer John C.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1002/j.1875-9114.1998.tb03848.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cellulitis , intensive care medicine , antibiotics , osteomyelitis , antibiotic therapy , surgery , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Human bites should be considered dangerous injuries with potentially serious complications. Their characteristics vary from an uninfected abrasion to a serious infection such as cellulitis or osteomyelitis. An estimated 10% of the injuries become infected; suspected pathogens include oral and skin flora. Management consists of history and examination, wound care, surgical intervention if necessary, assessment of risk of disease transmission, and appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis or treatment. The best choice for oral or intravenous antibiotic therapy remains the combination of a β‐lactam antibiotic with a β‐lactamase inhibitor. Among the most serious human bites are clenched fist injuries, which often require surgical intervention and intravenous antibiotic therapy.