Antimicrobials for Bite Wounds
Drug | Dose | Comments |
|---|---|---|
Human and dog bites | ||
500–875 mg orally 2 times a day | For outpatients Prophylaxis: Give for 3 days Treatment: Give for 5–7 days | |
1.5–3.0 g IV every 6 hours | For inpatients Effective against alpha-hemolytic streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus, and Eikenella corrodens | |
plus | 160/800 mg IV every 12 hours | For penicillin-allergic patients (use weight-appropriate doses for children) |
150–300 mg IV every 6 hours | ||
100 mg orally or IV every 12 hours | Alternative for dog bites in penicillin-allergic patients, except children < 8 years and pregnant women | |
plus | 150–300 mg orally or IV every 6 hours | Alternative for dog bites in adults |
Cat bites* | ||
500 mg orally 2 times a day for 5–7 days | For prophylaxis and treatment in adults Effective against P. multocida† | |
500 mg orally 2 times a day for 7–10 days | Alternative for children | |
150–300 mg orally 4 times a day for 7–10 days | Alternative for children | |
Monkey bites‡ | ||
800 mg IV 5 times/day for 14 days | For prophylaxis | |
* Squirrel, gerbil, rabbit, and guinea pig bites rarely become infected, but when they do, they can be treated with the same drugs used to treat infected cat bites. | ||
† Bartonella henselae— Professional. Cat-Scratch Disease—is also transmitted by cat bites. | ||
‡ For treatment of infected monkey bites, use antibacterial drugs similar to those used for infected human and dog bites. | ||