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More than 90,000 bites and stings are reported to poison control 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 2009 by Robert A. Barish, MD, MBA

Content last modified February 2009