ABSTRACT
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections are commonly associated with the genitalia and oral mucosa; however, cutaneous manifestations of the disease can occur anywhere on the body in infected patients. Eczema herpeticum, also known as Kaposi's varicelliform eruption, is caused by HSV inoculation in patients with predisposing skin diseases. Herpes whitlow, characterized by a vesicular eruption in the digits, is commonly seen in children secondary to thumb or finger sucking. Herpes gladiatorum, another cutaneous manifestation of HSV-1, is seen in athletes involved in close contact sports, such as wrestling. The infection commonly affects the head or eye but involvement of the extremities and trunk can occur. Because the virus is acquired through skin-to-skin contact, it is recommended that infected wrestlers be diagnosed and excluded during an acute outbreak in order to prevent transmission. Individuals receiving immunosuppressive agents or those with human immunodeficiency virus, leukemia, lymphoma, autoimmune diseases or transplants, are at an increased risk for recurrent cutaneous HSV disease.
