Oro-Facial Human Bites in a Tertiary Teaching Hospital in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Human bite to the face with associated tissue loses is an uncommon injury. Human bite wounds could become infected, if treatment is delayed.

Objective: To review the clinical presentation and management of all human bites to the oro-facial area.

Methods: The study was a retrospective review of case files of cases of human bites in our centre seen from January, 2009 to December, 2017.

Results: The unmarried males dominated both the victims and the assailants. The causes of bites were:  Fighting over sexual partners (n=20, 74.1%), and fighting among wives in polygamous home (n=5, 18.5%), domestic violence (n=2, 7.4%). Twenty-seven cases were identified with male to female ratio of 1.25: 1.00; fighting over sexual partners was the commonest cause of bites (n=20, 74.1%) with the lower lip being the most affected (n=12, 44.4%). Meticulous wound care, prophylactic antibiotics and surgical reconstruction were the modalities of treatment

Conclusion: Human bites are potentially dangerous wounds and constitute a significant cause of morbidity. All doctors should be well acquainted with the evaluation and proper management of human bites to avoid complication. Early wound treatment, antibiotics prophylaxis and surgical evaluation are necessary to achieving desired treatment outcomes.

Keywords: Human bite, oro-facial, sexual partner, lower lip, tissue loss