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The Problem of Herpetic Whitlow Among Hospital Personnel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2016

Wayne L. Greaves ,
Allen B. Kaiser ,
Robert H. Alford  and
William Schaffner
Wayne L. Greaves
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, St. Thomas Hospital; the Division of infectious Diseases, Nashville Veterans Administration Hospital; and the Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
Allen B. Kaiser*
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, St. Thomas Hospital; the Division of infectious Diseases, Nashville Veterans Administration Hospital; and the Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
Robert H. Alford
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, St. Thomas Hospital; the Division of infectious Diseases, Nashville Veterans Administration Hospital; and the Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
William Schaffner
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, St. Thomas Hospital; the Division of infectious Diseases, Nashville Veterans Administration Hospital; and the Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
*
St. Thomas Hospital, P.O. Box 3S0, Nashville, TN 37202
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Abstract

Five cases of nosocomially acquired herpetic whitlow are presented; three cases developed following a common exposure. All infections were acquired despite the use of surgical gloves as recommended by existing guidelines on control of nosocomial infection. In two cases the mistaken diagnosis of pyogenic paronychia led to surgical intervention, with excessive morbidity and disability. Among the five cases, morbidity ranged from several days of unemployment to permanent sequelae necessitating a career change. Revised guidelines for infection control should include the use of gloves on both hands whenever patient care involves contact with a debilitated patient with herpes simplex labialis.

Type
Original-Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 1 , Issue 6 , 11/12 1980 , pp. 381 - 385
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1980

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