Antibiotics after rattlesnake XXXX .

@entity1 @entity281 @entity5900
To record the outcome, with regard to @entity281 rate, of @entity1 with rattlesnake bites (RSBs) who do not receive prophylactic antibiotics, a prospective observational study was performed of @entity1 with RSBs treated at our institution during a consecutive 18-month period. The inclusion criteria were RSBs <24 h old and completion of follow-up (telephone call, mail reply, medical toxicologist, or private physician examination) 7-10 days following @entity5900 . Fifty-six consecutive @entity1 (Median age: 32.8 years [range 4-67 years]) were enrolled. One @entity1 was excluded because of presentation 38 h after @entity5900 and two @entity1 failed to complete the required follow-up. One @entity1 received a dose of antibiotics before transfer. Antibiotics were discontinued upon arrival. Of the total 56 RSB @entity1 , 34 (61%) RSBs involved the upper extremity and 22 (39%) involved the lower extremity. Six @entity1 (11%) applied ice and two (4%) used a tourniquet before evaluation. The mean arrival time was 2.7 h (Range <1-24 h). Forty-three @entity1 (81%) received antivenin. Fifty-three @entity1 (100%) had extremity swelling and 38 @entity1 (72%) had tender proximal lymph nodes. Of the 53 @entity1 who completed the study, 3 (6%) received antibiotics from their primary care physicians at 7-10 day follow-up, with no cases (0%) of documented @entity281 . Prophylactic antibiotics are not indicated in @entity1 with rattlesnake bites.
