What is the recommended treatment for a cat bite infection?

The recommended treatment for a cat bite infection is amoxicillin-clavulanate. Cat bites often lead to infections due to the unique bacteria present in cats’ mouths, particularly Pasteurella multocida. This bacterium is susceptible to amoxicillin-clavulanate, which is a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. The clavulanate component helps prevent the degradation of amoxicillin by beta-lactamase-producing bacteria, making this combination particularly effective for treating infections caused by bites.

In addition to its effectiveness against the common pathogens involved in cat bites, amoxicillin-clavulanate also provides broad-spectrum coverage, addressing both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. This makes it suitable for treating the polymicrobial infections that are typical in animal bite wounds. With cat bites, timely treatment is crucial to prevent complications such as abscess formation or systemic dissemination of the bacteria.

Other choices do not provide the same level of effectiveness against the specific pathogens associated with cat bites. For instance, while trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and cephalexin can be used for other types of infections, they do not cover Pasteurella multocida adequately. Ceftriaxone, although a broad-spectrum antibiotic,