Many of us come into contact with the herpes simplex virus during childhood. In the average person, the virus may produce a crop of sores around the mouth or nose, which disappear after a week or so. The virus remains dormant in the body, and can reactivate when the immune system is compromised, such as after a period of illness. Sun exposure on the skin can also cause the virus to reactivate. Subsequent herpes infections are usually not as severe as the initial bout of illness caused by the virus.
Herpes and Eczema
People with eczema need to be particularly careful if they come into contact with the herpes virus. Because the skin barrier is already compromised, the virus can infect the skin more easily. The skin will produce small weepy blisters that look like ulcers and are very painful. This can be a localised infection, but in a few rare cases can develop into a condition called eczema herpeticum.
Eczema herpeticum causes the herpes skin infection to spread rapidly across the whole skin surface. Sometimes, the whole body can be covered in sores and lesions, and the virus can also affect the eyes. This condition must not be ignored. If left to run its course, the sufferer will become feverish, the lymph nodes will swell up, and as the skin becomes covered with sores, secondary bacterial infection can occur. The condition can then become life threatening.
Secondary Bacterial Infection of the Skin
As the herpes sores cause the skin to become raw, secondary infection by bacteria is likely to occur. Common infections in eczema sufferers include Staphylococcus aureus, Group A ß-hemolytic Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, and Peptostreptococcus.
This secondary infection of the skin can cause further complications and the skin lesions may become encrusted with pus and become slow to heal. This is why diagnosis and treatment by a doctor as early as possible is vital.
Treatment of Eczema Herpeticum
The main treatment of eczema herpeticum is by the use of oral and topical acyclovir. This is the same drug as the over the counter medication Zovirax, but patients should not attempt to self medicate by purchasing Zovirax cream from a pharmacy. It is very important to seek medical help and not try to deal with the condition yourself.
If bacterial infection is present, this will also need to be treated by means of antibacterial creams and oral antibiotics. Steroid creams, which are the usual treatment for eczeama must NOT be used to treat eczema herpeticum, and should never be used to treat bacterial skin infection, as the steroids in the cream dampen the immune system and can make the infection a lot worse.
If anyone with eczema shows any sign of the herpes simplex virus, such as high temperature and weeping sores that "crop" together and resemble ulcers, they should seek advice from a doctor immediately, even if the condition does not look serious.
Sources
http://www.eczema-ltd.com/herpeticum.php
http://www.eczema.org/infection_and_eczema.html
Louise Jones - I have always enjoyed writing as a hobby, but started writing reviews online in February 2010 for Dooyoo, and later Ciao. In the beginning ...
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