Description
Definition
Human bites are usually caused by one person biting another, although they may result from a situation in which one person comes into contact with another person’s teeth. In a fight, for example, one person’s knuckles may meet another person’s teeth, and if the impact breaks the skin, the injury would be considered a bite.
Background
Human bites account for only a minority of bite wounds seen in the Emergency department, however many cases likely never come to medical attention. The hands are the most common site for human bites, usually occuring over the knuckles. Other sites include the ear, nose, forearm, breast and scalp. The most common complication of human bites is infection, and this is often made worse due to a delay seeking treatment.
Microbiology: Common organisms include Streptococcus species, Staph aureus, Eikenella corrodens, several anaerobic and gram-negative organisms. It is also possible to transmit Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and VERY rarely HIV.