Dear Readers,

Julia D. is a 43-year-old woman who resides off Hagley Park Rd, St Andrew. Since moving to this new home, her 11-year-old daughter was bitten by a dog. despite washing the wound, days later the cut festered.

she had some red and black capsules, which she applied to the wound and also gave the girl to take for a few days. The cut is now much better. However the girl's father was very upset that she had not seen a doctor.

Julia said she had no money and would have lost a day's pay to go to clinic.

Hence, she did the best she could. Was her best good enough? She loves her daughter and would not knowingly risk her life.

Lifeline is sure Julia loves her daughter very much and is doing her best to care for her under what may well be increasingly difficult conditions. Her concern, exhibited by writing lifeline, is testimony to this.

When an individual suffers a bite that breaks the surface of the skin, prompt medical care is important.

This applies whether the bite is from an animal or human. Animals' mouths are heavily populated with bacteria and other organisms that live on food particles which remain in the mouth (which makes it a very good habit to clean the teeth after every meal).

These organisms can be transmitted by bites and cause infection.

Cat bites can cause more infection than those from dogs. Infection from human bites fall somewhere between the two.

A human bite carries more risk than a dog bite. Bites from children cause less infection than bites from adults because it does not go as deep. The adult bite allows for serious infections to be established. The depth of the bite is also the reason why dog bites can become infected. Superficial washing with water does not reach the deeper tissues, especially if the injury is a narrow puncture wound.

Most infections resulting from bites are treatable, but sometimes dangerous organisms can be transmitted such as tetanus (lock- jaw), and the hepatitis and herpes viruses.

When a bite breaks the skin, the affected area should be immediately, thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with a lot of soap and water and a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution if it is available.

A large bite may even require suturing. Everyone who suffers with a bite wound that breaks the skin should have the area examined by a doctor.

The bite wound should be treated with a topical antibiotic as well as a systemic antibiotic (taken orally). The dressing should be changed daily with more application of topical antibiotic each time. Sometimes surgery is recommended to properly clean a larger wound which may require repair before bandaging.

An anti-tetanus booster is usually given, as tetanus is an infection which thrives in deep closed-off wounds with little access to oxygen. It is rarely a problem with superficial wounds.

Luckily, rabies is not a problem in Jamaica, although this status is at risk by the illegal importation of animals which occurs from time to time.

At this time, the risk of rabies infection from an animal bite is not a consideration. A bite from a rabid animal is life threatening.

Until it heals, a wound from a bite should be checked daily or on alternate days to make sure that it does not become infected.

Ms Julia did well to wash her daughter's wound, and later to apply antibiotic when infection developed.

However, it would have been better if antibiotic coverage had been started at the outset by a physician who would have administered anti- tetanus immunisation, if necessary, as well as seen to the proper irrigation and cleaning of the wound. Then infection, and possible scarring, may have been avoided completely.

Write Lifeline

PO Box 1731,

KGN8 AJM