Bacteroides tectum causing perineal and groin soft tissue infection in a diabetic patient exposed to dogs

Dog and cat bite wounds in humans, which account for 1 per cent of the emergency department visits in the United States,1 can become infected with the oral flora from the biting animal. Immu- nocompromised patients with exposure to dogs or cats should be suspected to have Bacteroides tectum as a possible causative pathogen in cases of soft tissueinfectionevenintheabsenceofahistoryof animal bite and should be covered with appropriate antibiotics.