Infection
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Wound infection following dog bite despite prophylactic penicillin.
Dog bite wounds of 39 children (ages one to 16 years) were cultured and irrigated. Cultures showed various organisms but were of no predictive value for development of infection. By using a table of random numbers, patients were assigned to either oral penicillin V-K (100,000 U/kg/day every 6 h) or placebo for two days. ⋯ Three of 39 (7.7%) children enrolled in the study developed infection at the bite site, including two of 19 in the penicillin group and one of 20 in the placebo group. In our study, prophylactic penicillin failed to prevent infection in dog bite wounds. Good local care on presentation seems to be the most important factor in determining future infection.