Citation

Borek HA, Charlton NP. Wilderness Environ. Med. 2015; 26(4): 573.

Affiliation

Philadelphia, PA; Charlottesville, VA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.wem.2015.04.002

PMID

26001488

Abstract

We thank Drs Weinstein and White for their interest in the article, “How not to train your dragon: a case of a Komodo dragon bite,” and your thoughtful comments. We recognize that the use of the term venomous is controversial when referring to Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis). The aim of this article was to present a case report and give a brief review of the literature, including the theories involved in mortality after a Komodo dragon bite, which include trauma, sepsis, and a venom deposition theory. We note that despite the theory that envenoming may occur, no signs of envenoming occurred in our patient; despite the theory that wound infection and sepsis may occur, amoxicillin-clavulanate appeared to mitigate any potential infection in our case. Our patient did experience morbidity as a result of a direct traumatic injury from the bite.

Language: en