Hand injuries in a human caused by a South American porcupine (ouriço-cacheiro)

Abstract

Human injuries caused by South American porcupines (in Portuguese, ouriço-cacheiro) are rare. This study reports severe hand injuries provoked by the body spines of the animal in a human and discusses the circumstances involved in the accident, with emphasis on environmental factors.

Keywords

• South American porcupine
• hand injuries
• body spines
• Brazil