Bites, Human: Differential Diagnoses & Workup

References

1. Harrison M. A 4-year review of human bite injuries presenting to emergency medicine and proposed evidence-based guidelines. Injury. Jan 31 2009;[Medline].

2. Zubowicz VN, Gravier M. Management of early human bites of the hand: a prospective randomized study. Plast Reconstr Surg. Jul 1991;88(1):111-4. [Medline].

3. Broder J, Jerrard D, Olshaker J, Witting M. Low risk of infection in selected human bites treated without antibiotics. Am J Emerg Med. Jan 2004;22(1):10-3. [Medline].

4. Baker MD, Moore SE. Human bites in children. A six-year experience. Am J Dis Child. Dec 1987;141(12):1285-90. [Medline].

5. Stevens DL, Bisno AL, Chambers HF, Everett ED, Dellinger P, Goldstein EJ. Practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of skin and soft-tissue infections. Clin Infect Dis. Nov 15 2005;41(10):1373-406. [Medline].

6. Smith DK, Grohskopf LA, Black RJ, et al. Antiretroviral postexposure prophylaxis after sexual, injection-drug use, or other nonoccupational exposure to HIV in the United States: recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. MMWR Recomm Rep. Jan 21 2005;54(RR-2):1-20. [Medline].

7. Talan DA, Abrahamian FM, Moran GJ, et al. Clinical presentation and bacteriologic analysis of infected human bites in patients presenting to emergency departments. Clin Infect Dis. Dec 1 2003;37(11):1481-9. [Medline].

8. Bunzli WF, Wright DH, Hoang AT, et al. Current management of human bites. Pharmacotherapy. Mar-Apr 1998;18(2):227-34. [Medline].

9. Chen E, Hornig S, Shepherd SM, Hollander JE. Primary closure of mammalian bites. Acad Emerg Med. Feb 2000;7(2):157-61. [Medline].

10. Donkor P, Bankas DO. A study of primary closure of human bite injuries to the face. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. May 1997;55(5):479-81; discussion 481-2. [Medline].

11. Gilbert DN, Moellering RC, Sande MA. Human bites. In: The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy. 30^th ed. Antimicrobial Therapy Inc; 2000:37.

12. Kelly IP, Cunney RJ, Smyth EG, Colville J. The management of human bite injuries of the hand. Injury. Sep 1996;27(7):481-4. [Medline].

13. Lindsey D, Christopher M, Hollenbach J, et al. Natural course of the human bite wound: incidence of infection and complications in 434 bites and 803 lacerations in the same group of patients. J Trauma. Jan 1987;27(1):45-8. [Medline].

14. Miura I, Ohshima A, Takahashi N, et al. A new non-random chromosomal translocation t(3;6)(q27;p21.3) associated with BCL6 rearrangement in two patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Int J Hematol. Oct 1996;64(3-4):249-56. [Medline].

15. Pretty IA, Anderson GS, Sweet DJ. Human bites and the risk of human immunodeficiency virus transmission. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. Sep 1999;20(3):232-9. [Medline].

16. Schweich P, Fleisher G. Human bites in children. Pediatr Emerg Care. Jun 1985;1(2):51-3. [Medline].

17. Smith PF, Meadowcroft AM, May DB. Treating mammalian bite wounds. J Clin Pharm Ther. Apr 2000;25(2):85-99. [Medline].

18. Turner TW. Evidence-based emergency medicine/systematic review abstract. Do mammalian bites require antibiotic prophylaxis?. Ann Emerg Med. Sep 2004;44(3):274-6. [Medline].

Further Reading

Clinical guidelines

Management of human bite wounds. University of Texas, School of Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Program. Management of human bite wounds. Austin (TX): University of Texas, School of Nursing; 2007 May. 22 p.

Antiretroviral postexposure prophylaxis after sexual, injection-drug use, or other nonoccupational exposure to HIV in the United States: recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Smith DK, Grohskopf LA, Black RJ, Auerbach JD, Veronese F, Struble KA, Cheever L, Johnson M, Paxton LA, Onorato IM, Greenberg AE. Antiretroviral postexposure prophylaxis after sexual, injection-drug use, or other nonoccupational exposure to HIV in the United States: recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. MMWR Recomm Rep 2005 Jan 21;54(RR-2):1-26. [126 references] PubMed

Practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of skin and soft-tissue infections. Stevens DL, Bisno AL, Chambers HF, Everett ED, Dellinger P, Goldstein EJ, Gorbach SL, Hirschmann JV, Kaplan EL, Montoya JG, Wade JC. Practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of skin and soft-tissue infections. Clin Infect Dis 2005 Nov 15;41(10):1373-406. [236 references] PubMed

Keywords

human bites, human bite wound, closed-fist injury, chomping injury, puncture-type wound, infected human bite wounds, bite wounds, bite injury

Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Jeffrey Barrett, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine
Jeffrey Barrett, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Robert M McNamara, MD, FAAEM, Chair and Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine
Robert M McNamara, MD, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Medical Association, Pennsylvania Medical Society, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Samuel M Keim, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine
Samuel M Keim, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Public Health Association, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

James Steven Walker, DO, MS, Clinical Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
James Steven Walker, DO, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, and American Osteopathic Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

John D Halamka, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Jonathan Adler, MD, Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Jonathan Adler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.