Animal bites

• The majority of bites seen in everyday practice involve dogs and cats
• These are generally polymicrobial but the most common isolated organism is Pasteurella multocida

Management

• Cleanse wound
• Puncture wounds should not be sutured closed unless cosmesis is at risk
• Current BNF recommendation is co-amoxiclav
• If penicillin-allergic then doxycycline + metronidazole is recommended

Human bites

• Human bites commonly cause multimicrobial infection, including both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria
• Common organisms include:
  • Streptococci spp.
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Eikenella
  • Fusobacterium
  • Prevotella

Management

• Co-amoxiclav is recommended, as for animal bites
• The risk of viral infections such as HIV and hepatitis C should also be considered