The emergency management of moray eel bites

Ann Emerg Med. 1992 Feb;21(2):212-6. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(05)80169-6.

Abstract

As human encounters with hazardous marine life increase, emergency physicians are more frequently confronted with the management of resultant injuries. We present three cases involving hand injuries inflected by moray eels. Each was managed with local wound care and subsequent outpatient treatment with either oral ciprofloxacin or cefuroxime. One patient had mild residual hand dysfunction, and no patient developed wound infection. To better assess the bacteriology of such injuries, oral cultures were taken from captive moray eels and surrounding aquarium water. Culture and sensitivity analyses showed Vibrio and Pseudomonas to be the predominant species, both sensitive to ciprofloxacin, cefuroxime, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. We conclude that moray eel bites can be managed successfully with aggressive, local wound care and antibiotic coverage that targets Vibrio and Pseudomonas species.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bites and Stings / drug therapy
  • Bites and Stings / microbiology*
  • Bites and Stings / therapy
  • Eels*
  • Emergencies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pseudomonas / isolation & purification*
  • Vibrio / isolation & purification*
  • Water Microbiology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents