Infectious Complications of Bite Injuries

Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2021 Mar;35(1):219-236. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2020.10.005.

Abstract

Animal and human bite injuries are a public health burden. Dog bites outnumber cat bites, but cat bites pose the greatest risk for infection. Skin and soft tissue infections are the most frequent infectious manifestations resulting from bite injury, although invasive infection may occur through direct inoculation or dissemination through the bloodstream. Although contemporary, well-designed trials are needed to inform clinical practice, preemptive antibiotic therapy after a bite injury is warranted for injuries posing high risk for infection and for patients at risk of developing severe infection; antibiotics should target aerobic and anaerobic microbes that comprise the oral and skin flora.

Keywords: Bite; Cat; Dog; Eikenella; Human; Mammal; Pasteurella; Skin infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacterial Infections / etiology
  • Bacterial Infections / therapy
  • Bites and Stings / complications*
  • Bites and Stings / therapy
  • Bites, Human / complications
  • Cats
  • Coinfection / etiology
  • Coinfection / therapy
  • Debridement / methods
  • Dogs
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pasteurella / isolation & purification
  • Rabies / epidemiology
  • Skin Diseases, Infectious / etiology*
  • Skin Diseases, Infectious / therapy
  • Soft Tissue Infections / etiology*
  • Soft Tissue Infections / therapy
  • Tetanus / epidemiology
  • Therapeutic Irrigation / methods
  • Wound Infection / etiology*
  • Wound Infection / therapy

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents