[Animal bites. Epidemiology and infection risks]. / Morsures d'animaux. Epidémiologie et risques infectieux.

A review of 5,116 cases of animal bites (587 of which were studied prospectively) has shed some light on their epidemiological aspects and on the risk of infection they carry. It has also led to a more objective assessment of the real effect of the therapeutic and prophylactic measures usually applied in such cases. The most frequent wounds are those of the hands and face, the former rising an infectious problem, the latter a predominantly cosmetic problem. The overall risk of infection is 30 per cent, but it is increased, notably as regards pasteurellosis, in the case of cat bite. Precise and simple rules concerning the prevention of this risk cannot easily be given, but it seems that the systematic antibiotic treatment initially prescribed has not clearly proved effective. Similarly, early sutures do not significantly increase the risk of infection.

[In vitro effect of combinations of netilmicin and amikacin with fosfomycin and pefloxacin on 31 strains of heterogeneous methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus]. / Activité in vitro des associations de la nétilmicine et de l'amikacine avec la fosfomycine et la péfloxacine sur trente et une souches de Staphylococcus aureus méticilline-résistantes hétérogènes.

The Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of 31 strains of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin and gentamicin were determined towards aminoglycosides: netilmicin (N) and amikacin (A). The results of the study showed a large discordance between the technic using dilution in Mueller-Hinton broth and the technic using agar diffusion with antibiotic discs. The level of sensitivity appears to decrease by dilution. The problem of using these aminoglycosides in combination with other antibiotics as fosfomycin (F) and pefloxacin (P) was faced. In vitro, antibacterial activity of combinations [N-F], [N-P] and [A-F], [A-P], was studied by microtiter checkerboard method. The antibacterial effects of these combinations were evaluated by determination of Fractional Bactericidal Indices (FBC-indices). The combination netilmicin or amikacin with pefloxacin has an additive bactericidal effect in most cases, without discrimination between the different aminoglycosides (FBC #0.82). Netilmicin or amikacin in combination with fosfomycin are found to be additive or moderately synergistic (FBC #0.53). No occurrence of antagonism was observed.