[Animal bites and infection]

Animal bites, mostly dog bites, often require an emergency department visit, but are often mistakenly considered innocuous. Indeed, bite wounds can lead to an handicap as well as become infected, mostly with the oral flora of the biting animal (Pasteurella, Capnocytophaga, Eikennella, streptococci, staphylococci and anaerobic bacteria). Bites can also cause other infections like tetanus, rabies, cat scratch disease, tularemia, leptospirosis, rat-bite fever and plague. The management of bite wounds includes prophylactic (antimicrobial prophylaxis, tetanus and rabies immunization) and therapeutic aspects (local treatment and antimicrobial therapy).