injuries and poisoning
Human Bites
Treatment of Human Bites
Wound cleansing Antibiotics Human bites are cleaned by flooding the wound with sterile salt water (saline) and cleansing it with soap and water. Severed parts can sometimes be reattached. Severed parts should be wrapped in a damp paper towel or washcloth and sealed in a plastic bag. That closed bag should be placed in a second bag with ice. Severed parts should never be placed directly on ice or submerged in water. Tears, except those involving the hand and those that have occurred many hours ago, are usually surgically closed. Most people with human bites that have broken the skin are given antibiotics by mouth to prevent infection. Infected bites are treated with antibiotics and often must be opened surgically to root out foreign objects (for example, a broken tooth) and clean the wound. Sometimes an imaging study such as an x-ray or ultrasonography is also done to locate hidden foreign objects. If a fight bite becomes infected, hospitalization may be needed for administration of intravenous antibiotics. If the biting person is known or suspected to have a disease that may be spread by biting, preventive treatment may be necessary. 