Bite wounds animal bites

Cat bites are the second most common animal bite, most often occurring in women and elderly individuals. Most involve the hand. Because cats have long, thin teeth that cause puncture wounds, their bites are more likely to become infected than a dog bite. Approximately 50% of cat bites become infected.43,44... 

I Bite-wound infections generally are polymicrobial. On average, five different bacterial species can be isolated from an infected animal bite wound.3 Both the normal flora of the biter s mouth and that of the bite recipient s skin can be implicated. The bacteriology of the cat and dog mouth is quite similar. Pasteurella multocida, a gram-negative aerobe, is one of the predominant pathogens, isolated in up to 50% of dog and 75% of cat bites. S. viridans are the most frequently cultured bacteria from human bite wounds.3,43 Table 70-10 provides a comprehensive list of cat, dog, and human bite-wound pathogens. 

The most effective agent for the treatment (and prophylaxis) of human and animal bite-wound infections is amoxicillin-clavulanate. Alternatives for patients with significant penicillin allergies include either a fluoroquinolone or TMP-SMX in combination with clindamycin. Doxycycline also may be prescribed. The durations of prophylaxis and treatment generally are 3 to 5 and 10 to 14 days, respectively.3... 

Patients with animal bite wounds may require rabies prophylaxis.43,44 If the bite is from a bat, a wild animal, a domestic animal that has or is suspected to have rabies, or an unavailable animal, the patient should receive rabies immune globulin and vaccine immediately.45... 

Pasteurella multocida Abscesses bacteremia meningitis wound infections (animal bites] Penicillin G A cephalosporin doxycycline amoxicillin/ clavulanate trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole... 

Goldstein EJ, et al. In vitro activity of Bay 12-8039, a new 8-methoxyquino-lone, compared to the activities of 11 other oral antimicrobial agents against 390 aerobic and anaerobic bacteria isolated from human and animal bite wound skin and soft tissue infections in humans. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 1997, 41, 1552-1557. 

All bite wounds (either animal or human) should be irrigated thoroughly with large volumes of sterile normal saline, and the injured area should be immobilized and elevated. Infections developing within the first 24 hours after a dog or cat bite are caused most often by Pasteurella multocida and should be treated with penicillin or amoxicillin for 10 to 14 days. Infections developing more than 36 to 48 hours after an animal bite are most likely caused by staphylococci or streptococci and should be treated with an antistaphylococcal penicillin or cephalosporin. 

Cat bites, with an estimated incidence of 5% to 15% of all animal bites, are the second most common canse of animal bite wounds in the United States. Bites and scratches occnr most commonly on the upper extremities, with most injuries reported in women. Infection rates, estimated at 30% to 50%, are more than double those seen with dog bites. ... 

Bite wounds have a substantial potential for infectious complications. If left untreated, complications such as soft tissue infection and osteomyelitis may occur, possibly requiring extensive debridement or amputation. Approximately half the population in the United States will be bitten by either an animal or another human sometime during their lifetimes. " ... 

Cultures obtained from early, noninfected bite wounds are not of great value in predicting the subsequent development of infection. Documentation of the mechanism of injury is important if possible, an immunization history of the animal should be obtained. It is also important for the patient s tetanus immune status to be determined. 

Rest JG, Goldstein EJC. Management of human and animal bite wounds. Emerg Med Clin North Am 1985 3 117-126. 

Brooks I. Microbiology and management of human and animal bite wound infections. Primary Care Clin Office Pract 2003 30 1-11. 

The shell of a filbert or hazelnut was filled with a little petroleum and downed with a goblet of warm beer for colds or internal problems. Dog bites and stings by a poisonous animal were treated by rubbing the wound or bite with petroleum. 

H. influenzae, gonococci, and E. coli. It also is effective in the treatment of acute otitis media in children, sinusitis, animal or human bite wounds, cellulitis, and diabetic foot infections. The addition of clavulanate to ticarcillin (timentin) extends its spectrum to include aerobic gram-negative bacilli, S. aureus, and Bacteroides spp. There is no increased activity against Pseudomonas spp. 

Examples of common clinical situations in which nonsurgical antimicrobial prophylaxis is effective are given in Table 51-4. Nonsurgical prophylaxis, mentioned in earlier chapters, includes the prevention of CMV and HIV infections, influenza, meningococcal infections, and tuberculosis. Though somewhat less effective, antimicrobial prophylaxis is also commonly used for animal or human bite wounds and chronic bronchitis. Severely leukopenic patients are often given prophylactic antibiotics. 

Threatened or wounded sea cucumber Holothuraided) will contract its body exposing the small skeletal bones that make up the body wall, which can act as hooks to the mouths of predators. For most species, the connective tissue that makes up the greater part of the body wall is the primary deterrent to predators.The contracted body not only makes a more compact body to bite, but increases the stiffness of the body wall. The sea cucumber also has a very unusual defense mechanism. Many species use the Cuvierian tubules, which are located in the digestive system of the animal to confuse... 

Ndumu et al. evaluated the effectiveness of Azadirachta indica seed oil against the larvae of this parasite [95]. They administered the oil as hydroalcoholic solutions ranging 4.2-100% and computed the mortality within 60 hours. Authors observed that the mortality of larvae was concentration and time dependent 100% mortality was observed with 100% pure neem oil after 48 h. The LD50 of different concentrations were 33.3% (56 h) and 66.7% (48 h). Author also observed little or no adverse effects on treated animals. Furthermore, they stated that the open wound caused by tick bites and therefore exposed to potential fungal and bacterial attacks, could be protected by the microbicidal properties of the neem oil. Previously, the effectiveness of neem oil was also observed by Williams and Mansingh against another tick species of the same genus, A. cajennense, another cattle tick [96]. 

A bite is nearly painless, but will break the skin in most cases. The venom is not injected, but enters the wound via the saliva. The venom applied by the blue ring octopus is not produced by itself, but by bacteria inhabiting the salivary glands of the octopus. The bacteria is transferred from the mother to the young and even the eggs contain sufficient amounts of venom to be harmful. The venom has two components that can be separated by simple means. The first is most effective on crustaceans but harmless to humans. The other is similar to the toxin present in the Pufferfish and serves to as a defense against predatory animals. 

In addition, these pathogens are also naturally transmitted by vectors and this pathway may also be exploited as a method of delivery of biowarfare agents. Examples of vectors include flies, mosquitoes, ticks, lice, and fleas. Vectors transmit the pathogen when they bite or scratch a new host. In some cases, the pathogen is excreted in the vector s feces as it feeds and forced into the wound by the casualty when scratching the bite. Vectors may be either the reservoir (i.e., animal or insect in which a pathogen normally lives and serves as a source for continued infection) or intermediate host for the pathogen. 

OTHER COMMENTS manufacture of inorganic and organic nitrates used in the manufacture of nitro compounds for fertilizers, dye intermediates, and explosives useful in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, jewelry manufacturing and in engineering industry use as a cauterizing agent for sterilization of badly infected wounds, such as a bite from a rabid animal. 

Actions and Uses.—Internally —In excessive doses, irritant and corrosive poison in medicinal doses, tonic and antispasmodic. It is sometimes given to the dog in chorea, epilepsy, and other nervous affections also been found of service to the dog in diarrhoea, dysentery, and cholera. Externally —Stimulant, astringent, and caustic. Used as a coUyrium in conjunctivitis and similar superficial in-fiammatory complaints for the improvement of indolent sores, mange, ringworm, and other chronic skin diseases as a caustic for the eradication of warts, fungous and other growths. Applied also to poisoned wounds, and to the bites of rabid and venomous animals. 

Actions and Uses.—Principally applied as an escharotic to wounds produced by the bites of rabid animals, also for... 

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