If infection occurs, antibiotics are prescribed. Antibiotics may also be used for infection prevention. Since many different bacteria may cause infection, no single antibiotic is always effective. Commonly prescribed antibiotics are penicillin or a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Once an infection is halted, the bite victim recovers fully.
Prevention Preventing bites obviously prevents infections.
Immunocompetence An individual's ability to fight off infection. A laboratory procedure in which a fluid sample from a wound or a blood sample is taken from an infected person. The sample is placed in conditions under which bacteria can grow. If bacteria grow, identification tests are done to determine the bacteria species causing the infection. In Infectious Diseases, 2nd Ed., edited by Sherwood L. Gorbach, John G. Bartlett, and Neil R. Blacklow.