Background  

The incidence of hand infections caused by penetrating fish fins or bones injuries (FFBI) is likely to increase following worldwide constant growth of fishery production and consumption. Because data on these infections are scarce, the purposes of this study were to describe their clinical characteristics and disease course, and to analyze risk factors for a complicated disease course.

Methods  

We studied retrospectively all cases of hospitalized patients with hand infections following FFBI over the years 1999–2006 in a single medical center. Demographic data, underlying diseases, clinical characteristics and disease course were analyzed for each case. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used for analyzing risk factors for a complicated hospitalization course.

Results  

There were 122 separate episodes of hand infections following FFBI among 116 patients, with a mean age (± SD) of 52 ± 19.7. The majority of cases were women (51.6%), and they arrived significantly later to the hospital after injury. Predisposing conditions (diabetes mellitus, liver disease, rheumatologic disorder, malignancy or chronic steroid treatment) were present in 25% of cases. Most of the cases presented with cellulitis. Cultures of either blood or wound were obtained in ~1/3 of cases, and 40% of them yielded an isolate. Ceftazidime and doxycycline were administered to 68.8% and 96.7% of cases, respectively. Surgical debridement was performed in 34.4% of cases, but there was no case of death or limb amputation. The presence of fever (p = 0.0005) and a predisposing condition (p = 0.035) were independently correlated with a complicated hospitalization course.

Conclusions  

The overall prognosis in this largest cohort of hand infections following FFBI was favorable, but immune dysfunction carried a complicated course.