Treatment of Herpes Zoster

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