Drugs |
Dosage |
Adverse Effects |
Remarks |
Acyclovir |
Severe immunosuppression, Trigeminal nerve involvement or Multidermatomal zoster: 10 mg/kg/dose IV tds for 7-14 days Mild disease: 20 mg/kg/dose tds PO for 7-10 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 imbalance including abnormalities in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium, seizures, cardiac
arrhythmia's, elevated liver
enzymes, CNS symptoms |
Useful in acyclovir resistant chickenpox |
Valacyclovir |
1 gm PO BD for 7-10 days in adolescents |
Renal toxicity - other side effects as of acyclovir. Nausea, Vomiting, thrombotic Microangiopathy |
Limited data in children |