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The emergency management of moray eel bites
T Erickson1, T L Vanden Hoek, A Kuritza
1Toxikon Consortium, Section of Clinical Toxicology, Cook County Hospital and Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
Annals of Emergency Medicine
|February 1, 1992
Summary
Moray eel bites can cause hand injuries, but prompt wound care and antibiotics targeting Vibrio and Pseudomonas species lead to successful outcomes. Aggressive local wound care and appropriate antibiotic selection are key for managing these marine-related injuries.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Emergency medicine
- Infectious disease
Background:
- Increasing human encounters with hazardous marine life necessitate effective management strategies for resultant injuries.
- Emergency physicians face challenges in treating injuries from marine animals, including moray eel bites.
Observation:
- Three cases of hand injuries inflicted by moray eels were managed with local wound care and oral antibiotics (ciprofloxacin or cefuroxime).
- Oral cultures from moray eels and aquarium water identified Vibrio and Pseudomonas as predominant bacterial species.
- These species demonstrated sensitivity to ciprofloxacin, cefuroxime, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
Findings:
- Successful management of moray eel hand injuries was achieved with local wound care and targeted antibiotic therapy.
- No wound infections occurred in the treated patients, with one experiencing mild residual hand dysfunction.
Implications:
- Moray eel bites require aggressive local wound care and antibiotic coverage specifically targeting Vibrio and Pseudomonas.
- This approach can lead to successful patient outcomes, minimizing complications like infection and dysfunction.