Whitlow

[MrZippy123]

I recently suffered from an infected finger diagnosed by my doctor as Whitlow, a very common condition. A quick Google search suggests this is a Herpes related infection! I thought that was sexually acquired. Assuming most people who get Whitlow have not got genital herpes, I guess you can pick it up from public places or contact with other people. Or am I confusing things?

[daffy654]

Coldsores are also caused by the herpes virus,you don't have to have had genital herpes (or contact with it) to get a coldsore.

[jackthehat]

Read this, it explains things more clearly;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex

[ummmm]

Coldsores are a form of herpes. If you have oral sex with a coldsore you can get genital herpes.

[Sqad]

I didn't know that a "Whitlow" had anything to do with Herpes......I thought that it was caused by a bacterial infection.

[hc4361]

Whitlow is caused by herpes.
You get it from contact with infected people or by touching other parts of your own body that are infected.
You can't get it from 'public places'.
http://hcd2.bupa.co.u...herpetic_whitlow.html

[Sqad]

hc.......right, I thought that a Whitlow was a Paronychia...........clearly not.

[daffy654]

I think the confusion comes from many school nurses telling children that an infected nail bed or 'frayed skin' around the nail is called a whitlow,I know my school nurse always called it that despite the fact it wasn't.

[Sqad]

Mr. Zippy.....it may well be that your Dr. is confusing things, I would suggest that you have a Paronychia and not a Whitlow...................just a thought.

[R1Geezer]

avoid kissing a budgie, or you could get cherpes

[Androcles]

Where has that finger been, we might ask.....

[Eastender]

I'm no doctor, but never heard such rubbish as a whitlow is conected to herpes....... Its an infection usually at the side of the finger, starts of red and hot to touch, then the infection starts to show. Bathing it and keeping it clean is the trick, pull the side of the skin slightly back and it poison should start to come out. You may have cut the side of the finger and a bit of dirt has got under the skin.

[hc4361]

It's quite obvious you are no doctor, Eastender.
You are referring to paronychia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paronychia

Herpetic whitlow is entirely different and not at all related.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpetic_whitlow

[Sqad]

hc...you are being very hard on Eastender as I think that you are both correct and I dispute the Wkiipedia definitions.

All nail bed infections are Paronychia, caused mainly by bacterial or fungal infections and occasionally caused by Herpes virus in which the MAY be called a Whitlow.

I think that Eastender is correct and Wikipedia is "misleading"