I hope he does well.
Go buy some powerful soap and wash up each and every time you handle fish. Get a big tube of neosporen ointment and put it on each and every knick you get after you have washed. Don't fool around with bugs like this.
I don't were gloves until it gets real cold (nov fishing) and then I use the neo's with the fingers slits (glacier gloves)
If I comm fished I would wear gloves no matter how hot.
Ever get spiked by a striper dorsel fin ?
You need to deal with these too!! You can get a nasty infection (not just the flesh eating kind) that can put an end to your fishing for quite some time.