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- $Unique_ID{BRK00264}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{How Common Are Bite Injuries?}
- $Subject{bites bite infections types Accidents accident Injuries infection
- punctures Dog dogs cat cats humans human rat rats rodent rodents skin sutures
- suturing antibiotics injury stitches injuries hand hands}
- $Volume{O-20}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
-
-
- How Common Are Bite Injuries?
-
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-
- QUESTION: Just how common are bite injuries in the United States? Which are
- most dangerous?
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-
- ANSWER: Physicians in this country see about a million people each year who
- have been bitten by either dogs, cats, rats, or humans. Many such bites do
- not cause serious consequences but they all must be examined closely as soon
- as possible following occurrences. The cost of the complications of bite
- injuries is estimated at about $50 million yearly.
- About two percent of all emergency room visits involve animal or human
- bites. While most are not serious, at least 10 percent require stitches and
- follow-up visits. Only approximately one-to-two percent require
- hospitalization.
- Bites are divided into two risk categories: those that cause a high risk
- of infection--usually punctures to the hands and feet; wounds for which
- treatment has been delayed; and bites on people who are suffering from some
- immunocompromising disease where defense against infectious disease is low.
- Lacerations of the face, torso and extremities are generally at low risk for
- complicating infections.
- Dog bites are the most frequent bite injury seen by physicians. Bites
- from cats are less frequent but many have more serious complications than
- those from dogs. Incidences of human bites are approximately the same as
- those from rats and other rodents.
- To treat properly, doctors first carefully inspect bite wounds to
- determine how deep they go and how much damage has been done to tissues.
- Sometimes x-ray examinations are necessary. After examinations, wounds are
- carefully cleansed, and crushed and damaged tissues are removed, to try to
- eradicate all germs that might cause infection in the wound. Then, decisions
- are made as to whether suturing is needed and if antibiotics, or other
- medications, must be administered. If 8 to 12 hours have passed since the
- injury, chances are your doctor will choose not to try to close the wound with
- stitches. And, since most bites do not become infected, antibiotics may also
- be withheld.
- Most bites from dogs are not terribly serious, however, they are
- frightening. Cat bites are far more dangerous. Cats' fangs can create a much
- deeper puncture wound that those from dogs, and cat bites lead to a far higher
- number of infections; about 35 to 50% of all cat bites become infected.
- Human bites are rather uncommon. Usually, they are inflicted by those
- who are intoxicated, self-inflicted by patients experiencing seizures, or
- during the events surrounding a police arrest (it's the arresting officer who
- is the patient). Most such bites are to the hands. Of all bites, those
- inflicted by humans have the greatest likelihood of becoming infected because
- the human mouth contains the largest variety of different bacteria.
- Rat bites occur about as frequently as those from humans, but most often
- they cause little harm since most are from rats used in research, rather than
- wild ones. However, all patients with rat bite must be closely followed as
- these critters' bites can cause other serious conditions.
- Whatever the source of a bite, and no matter how serious it looks, it's
- not a bad idea to seek professional care, if just to avoid the serious
- complications that sometimes occur.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-
-