Human Bites Symptoms

A human bite is generally obvious, but on occasion the victim is unaware (for example, the bite occurred while the victim was drunk) or reluctant to tell others (a teenager who was in a fight is one example). Be careful about ignoring cuts over the knuckles if there is the chance this happened in a fight. Otherwise, the 2 most important things to know about a bite are whether there is a skin break or signs of infection.

• Signs of a skin break
  
  
  • A skin break increases the risk of infection and makes it necessary to be sure tetanus shots are up-to-date. A skin break is often obvious but can be tough to tell in some cases. Anything that looks like the top layer of skin has come off should be considered a skin break. When in doubt, seek a doctor's opinion. A raw appearance to the area or the oozing of clear fluid are signs of a skin break.
• 
  
  
• Signs of infection (note that infection can occur even in properly treated bites)
  
  
  • Increasing pain and tenderness: Although all bites hurt initially, the pain usually gets steadily better. If a bite begins to hurt more, this can be the first sign of infection. Increased pain from an infection is usually matched by increased tenderness when the area of the bite is touched. Typically, this begins 1-2 days after the bite but can occur even later with deeper infections.
    
    
  • Increased or new redness: Some color changes can be expected at the beginning, particularly bruising and some redness, but this usually does not get much worse after the first few hours. An increase in redness is a warning sign of infection.
  • 
    
  • Increased swelling: Some swelling is expected initially, but this usually peaks in the first day. If the bite swells up more after the first day, it may be a sign of infection.
    
    
  • Fever: A new fever in someone with a bite should be cause for worry. However, waiting for a fever to convince yourself there is an infection is also wrong. Most people with human bite infections do not get a fever until late. If the area around the bite itself feels very warm, even if there is no actual rise in the whole body temperature, this could mean an infection, also.
    
    
  • Pus drainage: Pus is yellow and will generally be a late sign of infection. This drainage needs to be distinguished from clear oozing that can occur during the first few hours if the skin is scraped by teeth. This clear oozing is not a sign of infection.
    
    
  • Red streaks: When you can see thin red streaks running toward the center of the body from a wound, infection is usually present. This condition is sometimes called blood poisoning (the medical term is lymphangitis), even though this has nothing to do with the bloodstream. What is happening is an inflammation of the lymph vessels, part of the body's defense system against infection that includes the lymph glands or nodes.
    
    
  • Swollen glands: These may occur in areas near the bite as the lymph glands react to protect the body. For example, if a hand is infected, you may feel sore, swollen glands on the inside of the elbow or armpit of the same arm as the bite.