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Most emergency medicine textbooks agree that human bite wounds, as well as dog and cat bite wounds, require antibiotic prophylaxis in addition to usual wound care practices. This study from the University of Maryland challenges this belief, and attempts to define a group of human bites at low risk of infection that do not require any antibiotic prophylaxis.

Do All Human Bite Wounds Need Antibiotics?

Most emergency medicine textbooks agree that human bite wounds, as well as dog and cat bite wounds, require antibiotic prophylaxis in addition to usual wound care practices. This study from the University of Maryland challenges this belief, and attempts to define a group of human bites at low risk of infection that do not require any antibiotic prophylaxis.