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

Co-amoxiclav is recommended, as for animal bites.

The risk of viral infections such as HIV and hepatitis C should also be considered.