Human and animal bites.

Mammalian bites are potentially dangerous injuries. Despite the severity and frequency of the bite-related complications, there are still many controversies regarding the approach to these injuries. The generally accepted view that human bites are worse than animal bites cannot be substantiated by the existing data. Bites on the hands are associated with a high incidence of sepsis and they should be managed more aggressively than other bites. Most clean bite wounds can safely be sutured primarily after meticulous irrigation and debridement. The microbiology and management of mammalian bites are described in detail.