Citation

Oddsson K, Stefansdottir G, Mogensen B, Gudmundsson S. Laeknabladid 1995; 81(2): 126-132.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Icelandic Medical Association and the Medical Society of Reykjavik)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

20065447

Abstract

Information on incidence, epidemiology and complications of human and animal bites in Nordic countries is limited, but these injuries can carry serious infectious complications. We conducted a prospective study at the Borgarspitalinn Emergency Department (ED) from August 1991 to July 1992. During this time 145 individuals entered the ED due to bites (accounting for ~0.4% of all admissions to the ED); 66 subjects (46%) had been bitten by dogs (41 provoked), 29 (20%) by cats, 34 (23%) by humans and 16 (11%) by other animals (horse, rabbit, hamster, rat, parrot, piranha fish, guinea pig, mink). The victims of dog and human bites were primarily men under 30 years of age, 73% and 79%, respectively. Dog and human bites were most common during the summer months and 41% of subjects bitten by humans were inebriated. Culture specimens were obtained on admission from 67 subjects, 31 from dog bites (58% positive), 10 from cat bites (80% positive), 19 from human bites (84% positive) and 7 from other bites (43% positive). The most common organisms isolated from dog bites were beta-hemolytic streptococci, S. aureus and CDC M-5, from cat bites Pasturella multocida, Flavobacterium sp. and from human bites S. aureus and beta-hemolytic streptococci. Prophylactic antibiotics were prescribed to 92 (63%) of the victims. Clinical infection was observed in 23 (16%) individuals. The infection rates after dog, cat and human bites were 8%, 28% and 29%, respectively. Three individuals bitten by humans had to be hospitalized due to osteomyelitis and/or severe cellulitis. The demography of bites in this study was similar to that reported elsewhere. Infection rates were comparatively low, possibly due to current habits of prophylactic antimicrobial use.

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