Hand, foot and mouth disease in an immunocompromised adult treated with aciclovir.
A 27-year-old man, immunosuppressed from recent chemotherapy for metastatic Ewing's sarcoma, presented with a 1-week history of a painful, pruritic, papulovesicular eruption on the hands and feet. A diagnosis of hand, foot and mouth disease was made based on histology, detection of Enterovirus ribonucleic acid by polymerase chain reaction on a swab from a vesicle, and a four-fold increase in Enterovirus antibody levels. At no stage however, were there lesions in the mouth. Another unusual feature in this case was a prolonged course, presumably as a result of immunosuppression. After 3 1/2 weeks he was commenced on oral aciclovir 200 mg five times daily, with subsequent resolution of all lesions within 5 days. There may be a role for systemic aciclovir in some patients with hand, foot and mouth disease.
Faulkner
Catherine F
CF
Southeast Dermatology, Belmont Specialist Centre, Carina, Queensland, Australia.
Godbolt
Amanda M
AM
DeAmbrosis
Brian
B
Triscott
Joe
J
D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006232:Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000212:Acyclovir