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Animal bite
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==Classification== Bites are usually classified by the type of animal causing the wound. Many different animals are known to bite humans. ===Vertebrates=== [[File:Jaw of the piranha.jpg|thumb|Jaw of the piranha with biting equipment displayed]] *Companion animals, including [[dog]]s, [[cat]]s, [[rat]]s, [[ferret]]s, and [[companion parrot|parrots]], may bite humans. *[[Wildlife]] may sometimes bite humans. The bites of various mammals such as [[bat]]s, [[skunk]]s, [[gray wolf|wolves]], [[raccoon]]s, etc. may transmit [[rabies]], which is almost always fatal if left untreated.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Minghui|first=Ren|last2=Stone|first2=Matthew|last3=Semedo|first3=Maria Helena|last4=Nel|first4=Louis|date=August 2018|title=New global strategic plan to eliminate dog-mediated rabies by 2030|journal=The Lancet Global Health|volume=6|issue=8|pages=e828βe829|doi=10.1016/s2214-109x(18)30302-4|issn=2214-109X|doi-access=free}}</ref> *[[Human bite]]s are themselves capable of doing great flesh damage, but are particularly known for spreading communicable diseases Involuntary [[biting]] injuries due to closed-fist injuries from fists striking teeth (referred to as reverse bite injuries) are a common consequence of [[Hand to hand combat|fist fights]]. These have been termed "fight bites". Injuries in which the [[Knuckle|knuckle joints]] or [[tendon]]s of the hand are bitten into tend to be the most serious. Teething infants are known to bite objects to relieve pressure on their growing teeth, and may inadvertently bite people's hands or arms while doing so. Young children may also bite people out of anger or misbehaviour, although this is usually corrected early in the child's life. ===Reverse bite injury=== A reverse bite injury (also called a clenched fist injury, closed fist injury, or fight bite) results when a person punches another person in the face, and the skin (and sometimes tendons) of their knuckles are cut against the teeth of the person they are punching.<ref name="PerronMiller2002">{{cite journal |doi=10.1053/ajem.2002.31146 |pmid=11880877 |title=Orthopedic pitfalls in the ED: Fight bite |journal=The American Journal of Emergency Medicine |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=114β117 |year=2002 |last1=Perron |first1=Andrew D. |last2=Miller |first2=Mark D. |last3=Brady |first3=William J. }}</ref> The proximity of the wound is often located over the [[metacarpophalangeal joint]] resulting in tendon injury.<ref name="HenryPurcell2007">{{cite journal |doi=10.1136/emj.2006.045054 |pmid=17582031 |pmc=2658386 |title=The human bite injury: A clinical audit and discussion regarding the management of this alcohol fuelled phenomenon |journal=Emergency Medicine Journal |volume=24 |issue=7 |pages=455β458 |year=2007 |last1=Henry |first1=F. P. |last2=Purcell |first2=E. M. |last3=Eadie |first3=P. A. }}</ref> The medical treatment of this injury is similar to those of a [[Human biting injuries|human bite]], but may also involve damage of the underlying tendons.<ref name="ShewringTrickett2015">{{cite journal |doi=10.1177/1753193415576249 |pmid=25770897 |title=The management of clenched fist 'fight bite' injuries of the hand |journal=Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume) |volume=40 |issue=8 |pages=819β824 |year=2015 |last1=Shewring |first1=D. J. |last2=Trickett |first2=R. W. |last3=Subramanian |first3=K. N. |last4=Hnyda |first4=R. }}</ref> These injuries should be managed as other human bites: wound irrigation and [[antibiotics]] are essential as human saliva can contain a number of bacteria.<ref name="TalanAbrahamian2003">{{cite journal |doi=10.1086/379331 |pmid=14614671 |title=Clinical Presentation and Bacteriologic Analysis of Infected Human Bites in Patients Presenting to Emergency Departments |journal=Clinical Infectious Diseases |volume=37 |issue=11 |pages=1481β1489 |year=2003 |last1=Talan |first1=D. A. |last2=Abrahamian |first2=F. M. |last3=Moran |first3=G. J. |last4=Citron |first4=D. M. |last5=Tan |first5=J. O. |last6=Goldstein |first6=E. J. C. |author7=Emergency Medicine Human Bite Infection Study Group |doi-access=free }}</ref> The nature of these injuries is such that even if the injury is optimally managed, poor outcomes may still occur.<ref name="PerronMiller2002"/> ===Arthropods=== The bites of arthropods have some of the most serious health consequences known. Mosquito bites transmit serious disease and result in millions of deaths and illnesses in the world. Ticks also transmit many diseases such as [[Lyme disease]]. [[File:Mosquito bite from Flickr.jpg|thumb|A mosquito bite]] *[[Spider bite]] *[[Insect bites and stings]] **[[Flea bite]]s are responsible for the transmission of [[Plague (disease)|plague]]. **[[Mosquito bite]]s are responsible for the transmission of [[dengue fever]] and [[malaria]]. *[[Leech bite]]
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