Human Bites

Human Bites is a topic covered in the Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics.

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Washington Manual

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  • Human bites, particularly clenched-fist injuries, are prone to infection and other complications. The normal oral flora of humans includes viridans streptococci, staphylococci, Bacteroides spp., Fusobacterium spp., peptostreptococci, and Eikenella corrodens.
  • Prophylaxis with amoxicillin-clavulanate 875 mg/125 mg PO q12h for 5 days is recommended for uninfected wounds.
  • Infected wounds may require parenteral therapy, such as ampicillin-sulbactam 1.5 g IV q6h, cefoxitin 2 g IV q8h, or ticarcillin-clavulanate 3.1 g IV q6h for 1–2 weeks. Therapy should be extended to 4–6 weeks if osteomyelitis is present.

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