Smitten by a kitten

Mammalian bite wounds are commonly encountered in the emergency department. When patients come early (<8 hours after injury), local infection is not u sually evident. At this stage, the issue of providing prophylactic antibiot ic therapy arises, We report a complication of a cat bite to the hand in a previously healthy 32-year-old man. This patient did not seek medical treat ment immediately after the cat bite, and distinct local infection did not d evelop, Nevertheless, his course was complicated with acute Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis, We discuss the common pathogens involved in a cat bite infection, including S aureus, and delineate the indications for prophylac tic antibiotic therapy after a mammalian bite wound.