Severe herpetic whitlow in an HIV-1 and HIV-2 infected patient.

Our paper describes an unusual case of herpetic whitlow due to HSV-2 in an HIV-1 and HIV-2 infected patient. This patient was a 33-year-old cook, HIV-1Ab and HIV-2Ab positive for 4 years. The CD4+ cell count was below 50 cells/microL and no previous AIDS-defining illness happened. After having had a jagged tearing wound by a carving-knife on index finger of his right hand, he showed a rapid advancing erosion, which completely encircled his forefinger, due to HSV-2. Twenty days later he also showed two small adjacent lesions on penile shaft which rapidly extended with multiple subpreputial lesions. These lesions were caused by HSV-2 infection too. Both, finger and penile lesions, completely healed after a 3-week treatment with intravenous and oral acyclovir.