acyclovir and Soft-Tissue-Infections

Twenty-eight patients with upper extremity infections and positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were identified. The risk factor for HIV infection was intravenous drug injection in 24 patients, homosexual contact in 3, and heterosexual contact in 1. Eight of the patients had the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Two of the cases were prolonged herpetic infections of more than 6 months' duration that did not respond to oral acyclovir. The other 26 cases were bacterial in origin. Twenty-six of 28 cases responded to therapy with resolution of the infection. One patient refused surgical treatment and one died of systemic illness before resolution of the hand infection.

Topics: Abscess; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Acyclovir; Adult; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections; Antiviral Agents; Arm; Cause of Death; Cohort Studies; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Female; Hand; Herpes Simplex; Heterosexuality; HIV Infections; Homosexuality, Male; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sepsis; Soft Tissue Infections; Staphylococcal Infections; Streptococcal Infections; Substance Abuse, Intravenous