UPPER EXTREMITY INFECTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH THE HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS

Twenty-eight patients with upper extremity infections and positive for the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) were identified. The risk fac tor for HIV infection was intravenous drug injection in 24 patients, h omosexual contact in 3, and heterosexual contact in 1. Eight of the pa tients had the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Two of the cases we re prolonged herpetic infections of more than 6 months' duration that did not respond to oral acyclovir. The other 26 cases were bacterial i n 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. Copyright (C) 1998 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.