First Aid

• If you have a human bite that is bleeding, apply pressure directly to the bitten area and try to raise the wound above heart level. Using a washcloth and mild soap, wash the bitten area vigorously under running water for at least 5 minutes.
• Watch the wound site closely for signs of increased redness, swelling, or pain.
• Wash all animal bites vigorously with soap for 15 minutes and then rinse under running water for 10 minutes, even if the bite has not bled. Apply an antibacterial ointment (such as bacitracin) to shallow puncture wounds, and watch for signs of infection. Deep puncture wounds and cat bites (shallow or deep) should be treated immediately by a doctor.
• If a pet has bitten you, take it to the veterinarian.
• The main carriers of rabies are wild animals, especially skunks, raccoons, bats, and foxes. If a wild animal has bitten you, avoid contact with it. Report the injury to local police, so that they can locate the animal for observation and confine it if necessary. For more information on wild-animal bites, call your local health department.
• With any kind of bite, check to be sure your tetanus booster is up to date.
  

When You Need a Tetanus Booster

• Wound, cut, or scrape is deep or caused by a dirty object or your skin was dirty and your last tetanus shot was more than 5 years ago.
• Wound, cut, or scrape is clean and minor, but your last tetanus shot was more than 10 years ago.
• You never had the initial tetanus vaccination.

HIV Transmission and Bites

The possibility of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) being spread through the bite of an HIV-infected person is considered extremely unlikely. To date there have been no documented examples of HIV transmission through biting.