Varicella exposure in a neonatal medical centre: successful prophylaxis with oral acyclovir

• Published in: The Journal of hospital infection Vol. 54; no. 3; pp. 212 - 215
• Main Authors: Hayakawa, M., Kimura, H., Ohshiro, M., Kato, Y., Fukami, E., Yasuda, A., Okumura, A., Morishima, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kent Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acyclovir; Acyclovir - administration & dosage; Administration, Oral; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiviral agents; Antiviral Agents - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Chemoprevention; Cross Infection - prevention & control; Cross Infection - virology; Environmental Exposure - prevention & control; Female; Herpesviridae Infections - prevention & control; Herpesvirus 3, Human; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infectious diseases; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Medical sciences; Neonatal medical centre; Nosocomial infection; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Varicella-zoster virus; Viral diseases; Viral diseases with cutaneous or mucosal lesions and viral diseases of the eye; Asia; Japan; Nosocomial infection; Varicella-zoster virus; Acyclovir; Neonatal medical centre; Human; Varicella zoster virus; Skin disease; Chemoprophylaxis; Acyclic nucleoside; Purine nucleoside; Herpesviridae; Alphaherpesvirinae; Oral administration; Neonatology; Infection; Virus; Prevention; Newborn; Viral disease; Aciclovir; Hospital ward; Varicella; Antiviral
• ISSN: 0195-6701; 1532-2939
• DOI: 10.1016/S0195-6701(03)00144-0

In December 2000, a female infant hospitalized in our Neonatal Care Centre was infected with varicella by her mother. Although prophylactic intravenous acyclovir was administered at a dose of 15 mg/kg daily, she later developed varicella during her hospital stay. We therefore initiated control procedures to prevent further hospital-acquired infections. Oral acyclovir (40 mg/kg daily divided into four doses) was administered prophylactically to six preterm infants in contact with the varicella patient. None of six preterm infants subsequently developed clinical varicella or had any adverse effects associated with acyclovir administration. It is suggested that prophylactic administration of oral acyclovir (40 mg/kg daily) might prevent hospital-acquired varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infections, and that oral acyclovir may be an option for VZV prophylaxis in situations where VZV immunoglobulin is not available.