doi: 10.7759/cureus.9357. The skin on the second digit of the right hand showed significant edema and erythema circumferentially (Figure 1). This site needs JavaScript to work properly. for 10 days. Small but deep punctures there led to a higher risk of hospitalization than bites into soft tissue, according to the study. Signs and symptoms warranting earlier evaluation (e.g., fever, chills, increasing edema, erythema, numbness, drainage, and pain) were discussed. Treatment of hand infections using WALANT -when the anesthesiologist is not available: A retrospective cohort study. Once trapped under the skin, these bacteria spread and multiply, causing infection and inflammation (cellulitis) of the surrounding soft tissues. Can antioxidants supercharge your brain power? If the wound is bleeding, dont stop blood flow; in fact, try to encourage bleeding by gently pressing the area around the wound. Infections of Deep Hand and Wrist Compartments. Theres also the risk that a cats teeth will break off during a bite and need to be extracted. There was minimal pain and bleeding. Results: extreme lower back pain after a nasty cat bite that required intravenus antibiotics in the hospital followed up with pain meds and antibiotics antiinflammatory meds, swelling decreasing throbbing pain decreasing, back pain is unbearable. . The treatment of such infections often requires hospitalization, intravenous antibiotic therapy, and operative treatment. To care for your wound at home, follow these steps: If the following symptoms occur, seek medical attention: If you have a pet cat, make sure to take them to regular veterinary visits to stay updated on vaccines. Keywords: Sources: Babovic N, Carlsen BT, Cayci C. Cat Bite Infections of the Hand: Assessment of Morbidity and Predictors of Severe Infection. (See also Overview and Evaluation of Hand Disorders Overview and Evaluation of Hand Disorders Common hand disorders include a variety of deformities, ganglia, infections, Kienbck disease, nerve compression syndromes, noninfectious tenosynovitis, and osteoarthritis. government site. July 2012 edited July 2012. Complications were common among these patients. Some bruising may develop, but the wound should heal within a week to 10 days. You can contract cat scratch fever from cats infected with Bartonella henselae bacteria. All patients recently treated at our institution for cat bite injuries to the hand were retrospectively reviewed. There are tons of dangerous bacteria flourishing inside a cats mouth. These include: An infection from a cat bite may set in within a few hours, but it can take 10 days or more for some infections, like cat-scratch disease, to start showing symptoms. She said because she was uninsured the hospital wrote off some of the bill but she is still making payments. The content provided in this website and links, is not a substitute for medical care or treatment. Regardless of how a cat bite happens, it is not something to take lightly. Numbness, pain and weakness may be symptoms of it. The infection resides in synovial or periarticular tissues and is usually bacterialin younger adults read more and osteomyelitis Osteomyelitis Osteomyelitis is inflammation and destruction of bone caused by bacteria, mycobacteria, or fungi. Epub 2019 Jul 9. pedsinreview.aappublications.org/content/39/10/490, amjmed.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0002-9343%2816%2930081-X, e-aps.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.5999/aps.2016.43.6.590, orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/187998/1/424%20pub_thiry.pdf, wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22/10/16-0115_article, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4575703/, vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/zoonotic-disease-what-can-i-catch-my-cat. Dr. Brandon P. Donnelly | Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon. Cat bites to the hand can be especially dangerous since tendon sheaths and joints are close to the surface in the hand and cat bites penetrate deeply. Handchir Mikrochir Plast Chir. Here's what you need to know. Signs and Symptoms Signs that your bite may be infected include: Swelling Redness Warmth Continued pain beyond 24 hours Drainage from the wound Signs that your infection may be spreading include: Red streaks up the arm or forearm Swollen glands around the elbow or in the armpit Fever Tiredness Night sweats Shakes An official website of the United States government. PMC COVID-19 Screening in the Pediatric Emergency Department. While five- to nine-year-old males are the. 2022 Dec 16;55:e0372-2022. Dog and cat bites to the hand: treatment and cost assessment. Relatively few bites occur on the leg (9%) suggesting that walking away from a frightened cat may be a good strategy. The site is secure. red streaks that run up your hand and arm. Cat bites create narrow, deep puncture wounds. [Treatment of bites to the hand and wrist--is the primary antibiotic prophylaxis necessary?]. Positive tactile response to the digits of the right hand was achieved. Treatment for wrist tendonitis can include rest, icing, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), hand therapy, and cortisone injections. A doctor will decide if the wound needs stitches or surgery to heal properly. Discomfort. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Center. What is the potential risk associated with cat bites? An infected cat bite wound will be red, swollen, and painful, and the infection can spread through the surrounding tissues, causing a condition called cellulitis, or through the blood to other areas of the body, causing a condition called septicemia (often called blood poisoning). Misunderstanding this risk has led to a worrying number of hospitalizations, as patients require surgery to clean wounds or remove tissue thats become infected. Dr. Brandon P. Donnelly is a native of Slidell, LA. You should still clean the wound area with soap and water, but its unlikely you will have to take any action. This then causes the wound to potentially close up around the bacteria, which can lead to an infection. Human and animal bites. It can be caused by overuse and repetitive movements like texting, playing video games, or writing. Pontchartrain Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Center. As for Mr. Bink's, she said they are still on good terms, but things have changed. If left untreated, cat bite infections can spread to other parts of the body, causing a condition called septicemia (blood poisoning), which requires hospitalization. Follow-up evaluation should focus on early detection and diagnosis of tenosynovitis, septic arthritis, and osteomyelitis. You may have to try a few different chemical and nonchemical approaches to get rid of bedbugs, especially if you have a large infestation. Animal mouths contain a lot of bacteria which is why you want to wash it out with soap and water for around 5 minutes. (2018). Pasteurella multocida is the most common isolated pathogen transmitted from cats.2 The animals long and sharp canine teeth penetrate the skin, causing deep puncture wounds and providing an avenue for the induction of bacteria. Published in February in the Journal of Hand Surgery the study looked at 193 patients who received treatment for a cat bite on the hand from January 2009 through 2011. Discharge instructions and wound-care handouts were provided. sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal Instead, call the animal control office in your area. He said people tend to ignore cat bites because they are so small, but they can lead to a laundry list of medical treatments. Infections occur as a result of a combination of the oral flora of the animal and the human skin flora. Dutton LK, Hinchcliff KM, Logli AL, Mallett KE, Suh GA, Rizzo M. JB JS Open Access. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and cover with a sterile bandage. In areas where MRSA is prevalent, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, clindamycin, doxycycline, or linezolid should be used instead of a cephalosporin. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in biological sciences from. doi: 10.1590/0037-8682-0372-2022. [Brusalis, 2017] Penetrating injuries are the most common (ex, cat scratch/bite). Infections occur more frequently in cat bites because cats have extremely sharp, pointed teeth that can cause deep puncture wounds. You need to remove the . "A bite on the thigh probably isn't an issue because the cat probably just bites the fat," Carlsen said. In cat bite wounds, they are followed by Streptococci, Staphylococci, Neisseria and Moraxella spp. "Every time they would stitch me up after flushing the wound, the infection would just get worse. Animal bites on your hand and fingers are common, especially from pets like dogs and cats. 8600 Rockville Pike Psoriatic arthritis. Before joining Pontchartrain Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, he completed a hand and microsurgery fellowship at the prestigiousPhiladelphia Hand Center. Eleven patients (Group A) were presented within 48 hours of their injury. With these locations, it's not hard for a cat to puncture a joint or the layer of membrane that covers a tendon. Please note that by doing so you agree to be added to our monthly email newsletter distribution list. Of the hospitalized patients, 67% (n = 38) underwent irrigation and debridement, with 8 patients requiring more than 1 operation. Pain worsening significantly with motion suggests infection of a joint or tendon sheath. Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! Privacy Policy Cats can also injure their tendons or ligaments slowly over time as a result of repetitive straining, overexertion, or fatigue. The wrist or any joint in the fingers are usually the. and transmitted securely. Capillary refill to the upper extremities measured fewer than three seconds. In these cases, the researchers said, the wound should be treated aggressively. A dogs powerful jaws and blunt teeth tend to leave a larger wound, but they dont penetrate as deeply. MeSH terms Adult Aged eCollection 2021 Sep. Strwald Y, Erdle B, Busch P, Kalbhenn J, Bansbach J. Anaesthesist. When the bite is on the hand (and other research has shown that up to 85 percent of cat bites occur on the hand or wrist), the puncture may easily pierce a joint or the membrane sheath. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Close more info about Pain, tingling, and limited range of motion after a cat bite to the finger, Lori L. Henderson, DNP-c, MSN , APNP-BC, and Teri Kaul, PhD, APRN, Botched cryotherapy procedure leads to painful bullous lesion. If the wound is deep, if you see signs of infection as listed above, or if you have any other reason for concern, be sure to see your doctor. The more severe the bruising or bleeding looks, the worse the bite is. This means that the cat's saliva has a chance to enter the sealed-off areas of joints and tendons, which make a prime breeding ground for the . eCollection 2021 Nov. Savu AN, Schoenbrunner AR, Politi R, Janis JE. Some bites require the use of antibiotics through an intravenous (IV), while others may be treated with oral medication. Checking for Immediate Trauma. Disclaimer. The condition can cause pain when you grip and lift objects or move your wrist or fingers. A small puncture wound, particularly from a human or cat bite, may involve significant injury to the tendon, joint capsule, or articular cartilage. Immediately wash the wound under running water. o [ pediatric abdominal pain ] Cat bites can also lead to bone infection, and in extreme cases, septic shock, which is a life-threatening condition. A regular cat bite that just breaks the skin isn't really anything to worry about. 6. Fire ants are found in many southern U.S. states. Can low vitamin D increase risk of cancer? And of course, most of us will pet stray cats we meet along the way, but not all seemingly friendly cats remain friendly after being approached by strangers. Meanwhile, 80 percent of the patients were initially prescribed oral antibiotics, the researchers said. A doctor may give you a tetanus vaccine booster if you havent had a tetanus vaccine in the last 5 years. Hydrocodone (Vicodin) and naprosyn (Naproxen) were also prescribed for pain and inflammation. According to a 2016 case report, cat bites can injure a nerve in rare cases. Cat bite: An unusual cause of foot drop. In almost all states, a cat that has bitten a human or another domestic animal must undergo a mandatory 10-day quarantine period. Cat bite victims sometimes must have their wounds surgically irrigated or even have infected tissue removed, a procedure called debridement. Never try to separate cats who are fighting. This site is not intended to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. We identified 193 patients in a 3-year period between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2011. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. First, be sure to clean the wound. A peripherally inserted central catheter line was placed and IV ceftriaxone (Rocephin) administered. The most common cause of human bites is a tooth-induced injury to the metacarpophalangeal joint as a result of a punch to the mouth (clenched fist injury). Two thirds of those hospitalized during the study required surgery to flush out the infection in the wounds and middle-aged women were the most common bite victims. Careers. Cat bites are serious! By joining Cureus, you agree to our Bookshelf Savu AN, Schoenbrunner AR, Politi R, Janis JE. 2021 Sep 9;9(9):e3778. Tendon rupture: When a tendon separates from the tissue, in part or completely, it is supposed to be attached to, a tendon rupture occurs. Preoperative Antibiotics Influence Culture Yield in the Treatment of Hand, Wrist, and Forearm Infections. Does the amount of Vitamin D you have affect your odds of getting multiple sclerosis? If the patient is allergic to penicillin, recommend doxycyline 100 mg b.i.d. While all bites carry bacteria, your body manages to fend off most infections from dog bites. Accessibility Carlsen said the lesson is that people need to be careful of cat bites and monitor them for swelling and redness. While the kitten grabbing at your hand and biting your fingers may be adorable, it wont be so adorable anymore when he has grown into an adult cat. Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI, a bump or blister where the bite wound is located, inability to use your hand (if your hands been bitten), you start having any serious symptoms of an infection, such as fever, chills, pus or fluid oozing from the wound, or swollen lymph nodes, the cat thats bitten you appears aggressive or acts strangely, the cat thats bitten you is unvaccinated against rabies or youre unsure if the cat is vaccinated against rabies. Careers. Tenosynovitis refers to inflammation of a tendon and its synovial sheath; this condition occurs most frequently in the hand and wrist but can occur in any part of the extremities where a tendon glides within a synovial-lined fibro-osseous sheath. 5. Tenderness along the course of a tendon suggests spread to the tendon sheath. While all bites carry bacteria, your body manages to fend off most infections from dog bites. The treatment of such infections often requires hospitalization, intravenous antibiotic therapy, and operative treatment. While some cat bites may heal without causing infection, it is recommended that you seek medical attention for all cat bites. Protected from the immune system, a cat bite infection can rapidly spread. 2022 Oct;35(5):498-499. doi: 10.37201/req/009.2022. The .gov means its official. Mr. H was unsure of the date of his last tetanus shot and reported that the cat is up to date on all immunizations. The main symptoms were limited and there was painful mobilisation of fingers and wrist, and swelling and redness in the area of the bite wound. All rights reserved. When a cat lands on the ground incorrectly after jumping, the ligaments and tendons are at risk of tearing, rupturing or breaking down over time. Victims should be especially concerned about the risk of a cat bite infection if they develop swelling or inflamed skin. In the study, researchers identified 193 Mayo Clinic patients with cat bites to the hand from January 1, 2009, through 2011. When you think about being bitten by an animal, smaller is better, right? If you cant capture the cat, you might need to start rabies vaccination as a precaution. Almost 40% of cases had flexor tendon sheath infection of the fingers. Mr. H was unable to perform full flexion of the second digit. 8600 Rockville Pike Your sharp, long teeth can leave deep punctate injuries. CSD is transmitted when a cat carrying the infection: The following animals are at the highest risk of carrying the infection: Its important to know that CSD is most common in children. SEE MORE: Symptoms of Infected Cat Bite and Steps To Take For A Cat Bite. Sbai MA, et al. Cats, like many other mammals, can carry rabies. 2022 Mar 24;7(1):e21.00084. Once symptoms are present, rabies is typically fatal. Conclusions: Its really just a function of their slender, sharp fangs. Human and other mammalian bite injuries of the hand: evaluation and management. "It may look like a pin prick, but rule of thumb go see a doctor if a cat bites your hand," Carlsen said. eCollection 2022. Pasteurella species was isolated from 35% of infected wounds. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy, Study shows 1 in 3 people who sought medical treatment for a cat bite on the hand were hospitalized, Most common cat bite victims are middle-age women. Cat bites are more frequent in the mornings, in the summer, and in spring [4]. They may take a culture swab to help identify the type of bacteria causing the infection. J Hand Surg Am. According to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, the average patient with a cat bite first noticed their infections about 12 hours after the bite. Clinical findings suggestive of the need for hospitalization include location of the bite over a joint or tendon sheath, erythema, pain, and swelling. Copyright 2023 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. (2016). PMC Cat Bite Cellulitis Nadia F. from ePlasty. 2 deep puncture wounds along the pinky by the wrist, 1 in the middle above the wrist & another with a tear by the wrist along the thumb. Active range of motion deficits are present at the wrist and thumb due to pain and swelling. The hand should be splinted in the functional position and elevated. cat bite hand cellulitis lymphangitis hand infection. QUESTIONS. The .gov means its official. MeSH Cats, meanwhile, have sharp teeth and that dramatically increases the risk for a cat bite infection. The researchers said 57 of the patients who were bitten needed to be hospitalized, but only 36 had been admitted immediately after seeking medical treatment. Can Vitamin E protect against heart disease. FOIA left hand was severely bitten by a cat that animal control brought in. (2017). This is a combination of a skin disorder (psoriasis) and . Watch the area carefully to see if there are signs of damaged nerves or tendons. The information shared in this article is not a substitute for medical care. You may need to begin rabies treatment if the cat thats bitten you shows any rabies symptoms. Infection in these tissues can be very painful and difficult to treat. A serious infection can develop 24-48 hours after being bitten. This includes bites that: [8] Are on the face Bothun said she still feels pain in her wrist and does not have full movement. any link with venom from cat bite affecting central nervous system? Common pathogens include Pasteurella species, Staphylococcus aureus, streptococci, anaerobes, Capnocytophaga, Moraxella, Corynebacterium, and Neisseria. Not all cat bites lead to infection, but enough do to warrant caution. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted Wear thick protective gloves when handling an injured or stray cat. Any time the skin is punctured, you will experience some level of discomfort, but this initial pain should subside. Camacho Zamora P, Romn Cabello M, lvarez Garca P, Vzquez Canal E. Rev Esp Quimioter. 2021 Sep 9;9(9):e3778. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. 'A cat bite is much worse than a dog or rat bite. How do you know if a cat bite is infected? The pain almost drove me up the wall.". There are a few people, that develop severe allergic reactions to flea bites and can get irritated by a single bite. Rabies is rare but deadly. Of course, if the cat's fangs go in very deep, this could be worrisome and worth a doctor's visit! Check for signs such as bruising, punctured skin, bleeding, and objects stuck in the wound. Patients with clenched fist injuries tend to wait hours or days after the wound occurs before seeking medical attention, which increases the severity of the infection. If you dont know the rabies status of the animal, try to locate it and call animal control.