ABSTRACT
ETIOLOGY AND PATHOGENESIS Bite wounds occur following penetration of the skin, which is usually followed by inoculation of oral flora or epidermal flora into the subcutis. The bruising accompanying the wound and the failure of the discharge to drain through the small penetrations facilitate abscess formation. The typical organisms in wounds resulting from dog bites are Staphylococcus intermedius, coagulase-negative staphylococci, enterococci, and Escherichia coli, whereas in cat bites the usual isolates are Pasteurella multocida, Bacteroides spp., and β-hemolytic streptococci1. Anaerobes such as Bacillus, Clostridium, and Corynebacterium spp. are frequently isolated from bite wound abscesses1,2. One report found subcutaneous abscessation and concomitant arthritis in a colony of cats caused by bacterial L-forms3. In one study, 65% of bites had positive aerobic cultures, 15% had positive anaerobic cultures, and 33% had negative cultures2.
