Allergy Update
by P.K. Raghuprasad, M.D.

Anti-Herpes Antibiotics

Fever blisters and genital herpes are caused by a virus called herpes simplex.  Chicken pox and shingles are caused by a related, Varicella-Zoster virus.   For both viruses there are now available, fairly effective medications.  A few years ago acyclovir (Zovirax) was introduced for fever blisters and genital herpes and this has since been approved for use for shingles as well.  When taken in appropriate doses it is quite effective and remarkably safe.  The new addition is famcyclovir (Famvir).  Recently, the former drug as been approved for chicken pox as well.   The usual procedure is to use the above drugs orally, starting as soon as the diagnosis is made or at the outset of new lesions, in the case of recurrent fever blisters.  Acyclovir has been used as a preventive for those patients who have frequent severe episodes.  Here, the dose is taken twice a day continuously.