Herpes Whitlow: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Herpes simplex viral infections can lead to blisters on the fingers. This is a condition called herpes whitlow, and it is one way in which a person with herpes can self-infect other parts of her own body.

Symptoms

• Herpes whitlow is the appearance of a herpes blister on the fingers or hands, according to Microbiology and Immunology Online. Before a blister occurs, a burning or itching sensation is felt in the area that will be affected; this is called prodrome.

Transmission

• Touching fluid from a blister, either caused by HSV-1 (cold sores) or HSV-2 (genital herpes) can lead to herpes whitlow.

Risk Group

• Health care workers appear to be at increased risk of developing herpes whitlow through contact with patients' herpetic blisters.

Treatment

• Herpetic blisters clear up on their own without treatment, but can be treated with antiviral drugs like acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir.

Complications

• A person with herpes whitlow can infect other parts of his own body. According to the Mayo Clinic, one common occurrence is infection of the eye, which can lead to blindness.