Annals of emergency medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Evaluation of prophylactic oxacillin in cat bite wounds.
A prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was undertaken to determine the influence of prophylactic oxacillin on the frequency of infection in cat bite wounds. Adult patients with uninfected full-thickness wounds presenting within 24 hours of injury were considered. Emergency department management consisted of cleansing, irrigation, debridement, and closure as indicated; no topical antibiotics were applied. ⋯ Material obtained from three of these four patients yielded Pasteurella multocida as the responsible organism. Prophylactic oxacillin was thus associated with a significant reduction in the frequency of infection following cat bites. We recommend such therapy in the care of these wounds.