When a cat bites
Many people laugh off a little nip from their pet cat but new research suggests even a small bite can be very serious. A study has shown that cats can inject bacteria deep into the joints and tissue where there is a perfect breeding ground for infection.
As a result, the researchers say any one who is bitten should see a doctor regardless of how insignificant the bite might seem at first. The research also revealed middle-aged women should be particularly wary when stroking cats as they’re the most likely people to be bitten.
Scientists say the bites are so dangerous, one in three people in the UK who are bitten have to be hospitalised and two-thirds of those needed surgery. Researchers identified 193 patients with cat bites to the hand over three years – discovering 57 were hospitalised for an average three days.
Of these, 38 needed to have their wounds surgically flushed out and infected tissue removed and eight people had more than one operation and some even needed reconstructive surgery. The study, published in the Journal of Hand Surgery, also revealed 69 per cent of the patients were female, with an average age of 49.
The researchers say cat bites are dangerous because of their fangs, which penetrate deeper than dog bites.
The bacteria injected by a cat bite can included a strain common in animals which is hard to fight with antibiotics.
© Daily Mail,London