More than 60,000 bites and stings are reported to poison centers each year; many more occur but are not reported. Bites and stings result in about 100 deaths/yr in the US. All patients with bites and stings should receive appropriate tetanus prophylaxis (see Table 2: Anaerobic Bacteria: Tetanus Prophylaxis in Routine Wound Management).

Last full review/revision February 2013 by Robert A. Barish, MD, MBA; Thomas Arnold, MD

Content last modified March 2013