[Dog bites and infection from bacterial inoculation. Necessity for appropriate therapeutic measures]

The most recent statistics in France underline a doubly increasing preoccupation: the alarming rise in the frequency of bites by dogs (watchdogs or lapdogs), and the great number of pathogenic bacteria isolated from the bite wounds. During the last three years (1985, 1986, 1987), the Bacteriological Laboratory of Nancy received 390 samples, and 56% of them contained one or more bacteria. These bacteria basically were Pasteurella (61%), but other different species were isolated and identified recently: for example, the bacterial groups EF4, M5, IIj and especially DF2. The clinical feature is usually a wound which, neglected, is suppurating. But the bacteria of the DF2 group lead to general complications, very serious: more than 50 cases of septicemia have been published. In such cases, the notion of underlying pathology is important: alcoholism, cancer, splenectomy. Therefore, this new threat calls for great vigilance: curative treatment with antibiotic therapy adjusted to the isolated and tested bacterium; but, after all bites by a dog, real prophylaxis is systematically essential, with classical actions and antibiotic therapy (betalactamine or cycline) if the organism of the patient is deficient.