Management of acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex and varicella-zoster virus infections

• Published in: Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1988) Vol. 7; no. 3; p. 254
• Main Authors: Balfour, Jr, H H, Benson, C, Braun, J, Cassens, B, Erice, A, Friedman-Kien, A, Klein, T, Polsky, B, Safrin, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.1994
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - complications; Acyclovir - pharmacology; Acyclovir - therapeutic use; Adult; Algorithms; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Female; Foscarnet - therapeutic use; Herpes Simplex - drug therapy; Herpes Simplex - microbiology; Herpes Zoster - drug therapy; Herpes Zoster - microbiology; Herpesviridae Infections - drug therapy; Herpesviridae Infections - microbiology; Herpesvirus 3, Human - drug effects; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Male; Recurrence; Simplexvirus - drug effects; Trifluridine - therapeutic use; Vidarabine - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0894-9255

Persons with AIDS who have CD4+ counts < or = 100 and transplant patients, especially bone marrow allograft recipients, may experience clinically significant infections with acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus (HSV) or varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Patients who have received prior repeated acyclovir treatment appear to be at the highest risk of harboring acyclovir-resistant strains. Algorithms for the management of these infections were developed at a recent roundtable symposium. The consensus of the panelists was that treatment with foscarnet should be initiated within 7-10 days in patients suspected to have acyclovir-resistant HSV or VZV infections. Foscarnet therapy should be continued for at least 10 days or until lesions are completely healed.