Soft tissue infections due to human bites

Year 2016, Volume: 1 Issue: 2, 45 - 47, 30.09.2016

Fatma Meral Ince

https://doi.org/10.5455/jicm.2016.1.224190

Abstract

Background: Human
bites are potentially dangerous wounds constituting an important cause of
morbidity. Infections caused by human bites are reported to be more severe than
infections caused by animal bites.  The
aim of this article is to present two patients with soft tissue infections
secondary to human bites, which are rare in the literature.

Case
presentation: The first patient is a 62-year old female whose 4^th
digit of her left hand was bitten by her disabled child and became necrotic.
The second patient is a 35-year old female patient whose 2^nd digit
in her left hand was bitten by her husband five days ago. Both patients had
undergone debridement for the necrotic infections in the area of the lesion and
prescribed the appropriate antibiotherapy. Rest, elevation and immobilization
were maintained. The reconstruction and physiotherapy gave satisfactory
results.

Conclusion: Human bite wounds have long had a bad reputation for severe
infection and frequent complication. For this reason, prophylactic antibiotic
treatment should be given after human bite to prevent infection. If the
infection signs and symptoms develop, rapid diagnosis, appropriate antibiotic
and surgical therapy should be applied instantly.

Keywords

Human bite, soft tissue infection, debridement

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