Treatment of Chickenpox

Drugs

Dosage

Adverse Effects

Remarks

Acyclovir

Mod-severe disease
10 mg/kg/dose IV tds for 7 days

Mild disease
20 mg/kg/dose PO qds for 7 days

Renal toxicity, phlebitis, nausea, vomiting, rash, neutropenia

Drug of choice for chickenpox

Foscarnet

120 mg/kg/day IV in 3 divided doses for 7 days

Renal toxicity, electrolyte imbalances including abnormalities in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium, seizures, cardiac arrhythmia's, elevated liver enzymes, CNS symptoms

Useful in acyclovir resistant chickenpox