Human bites

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Human bites

Bites - human

Human bites that break the skin, like all puncture wounds, have a high risk of infection. They also pose a risk of injury to tendons and joints.

Bites are very common among young children. Children often bite to express anger or other negative feelings.

Human bites may be more dangerous than most animal bites. There are anaerobic microbes in some human mouths that can cause hard-to-treat infection. Hospitalization to receive intravenous antibiotics may be required for someone with an infected human bite, especially on the hand.

Review Date: 06/16/2005
Reviewed By: John Goldenring, M.D., M.P.H., Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.