A Blacktip Reef Shark Bite to the Hand in the Remote Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands is a country in the South Pacific Ocean with excellent scuba diving, particularly among its remote islands that can be accessed by liveaboard dive boats. Blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) are found throughout the island nation and rarely attack humans. We present the c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Journal of emergency medicine Vol. 59; no. 6; pp. e213 - e216
Main Authors Popa, Daniel, Beach, Nancy, Sadler, Charlotte
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Elsevier Inc 01.12.2020
Subjects
hand laceration
shark bite
wilderness medicine
wilderness medicine
shark bite
hand laceration
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Summary:Solomon Islands is a country in the South Pacific Ocean with excellent scuba diving, particularly among its remote islands that can be accessed by liveaboard dive boats. Blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) are found throughout the island nation and rarely attack humans. We present the case of a 42-year-old man who sustained a hand laceration after being bitten by a blacktip reef shark. He underwent complex primary wound closure in an austere environment and received prophylactic antibiotics. No infection developed and he recovered fully. We discuss our rationale in closing the wound aboard the dive boat, the choice of antibiotics, and review marine pathogens.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Case Study-2
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ISSN:0736-4679
2352-5029
DOI:10.1016/j.jemermed.2020.09.009