Whitlow finger
A herpetic whitlow may be treated with an antiviral drug such asaciclovir.
You may be prescribed a five or seven day course of 200mgaciclovirto take five times a day or 400mg to take three times a day.
But this is only worth taking if you start the treatment within 48 hours of symptoms starting.Using an antiviralafter this initial period is unlikely to have any effect.
Antiviral drugs mayhelp toheal a herpetic whitlow, butthey do not get rid of the herpes simplex virus or prevent future outbreaks of herpes simplex viralinfection.
A whitlow will heal without anantiviral drug within two to three weeks.Antiviral treatment may:
You should cover the whitlow with a light dressing so the infection doesn't spread any further.
Avoid wearing contact lenses until the infection has healed, to stop the virus spreading to your eyes.
You can take anover-the-counter painkiller such as paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain relief.
Do not attempt to drain the fluid, as this may cause the virus to spread or causea bacterial infection.
NHS Choices information on herpetic whitlow (whitlow finger), with links to other useful resources
The fingertip suddenly becomes red, swollen and extremely painful. Small white blisters develop underneath the skin of the finger, which may break to release fluid, eventually crusting over.
There are two types of herpes simplex virus (HSV), type 1and type 2. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can cause a herpetic whitlow. These viruses can also cause Herpes simplex virus and genital herpes . A herp
Antivirals A herpetic whitlow may be treated with an antiviral drug such asaciclovir. You may be prescribed a five or seven day course of 200mgaciclovirto take five times a day or 400mg to take thre
The herpes virus remains dormant (inactive) in nerve cells and may reactivate at a later date, sometimes followingstress or an illness. This can result in another whitlow at the same site as the first