Management of hand infection in Khartoum

One hundred and fifty patients with hand infection seen during 6 months period at Khartoum Teaching Hospital were studied. The disease is more common among young males manual and industrial workers (M:F = 2:1). Common types of hand infections were paronychia in (41%) of patients, volar infections in (30.6%) and subcutaneous infections in (30%) of patients. 30% of patients needed hospital admission including all diabetics (n = 15). Two patients had serious complications that resulted in above elbow amputation. The first was a diabetic with spreading cellulitis and the second was a mentally retarded with gas gangrene. Initial empirical antibiotic therapy was prescribed in 89% of patients and later was modified according to sensitivity results. 90% of patients needed surgical drainage. Bacteriological examination showed Staph. aureus in 51% of cultures and the staphylococcus was resistant to penicillin in 77% of cultures. Apart from two deaths, the rest of the patients had satisfactory outcome.