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ACYCLOVIR SUPPRESSES RECURRENT LABIAL HERPES.

Several studies have documented the efficacy of long- term therapy in suppressing genital herpes in immunocompetent hosts, but similar therapy for labial herpes has not been tested in controlled trials. This randomized crossover trial examined the benefit of suppressive oral acyclovir (400 mg twice a day) in 22 healthy patients reporting at least six episodes of labial herpes per year.

All patients received acyclovir or placebo for 4 months, then were switched to the opposite treatment for 4 months. Clinical recurrences were reduced significantly during acyclovir treatment, from a mean of 1.8 to 0.85 episodes per patient per 4-month period. The median time to a first recurrence increased from 46 to 118 days during treatment with acyclovir. These clinical benefits were confirmed by viral cultures.

Although this study shows that chronic daily acyclovir suppresses recurrences of herpes labialis, the results are less dramatic than the nearly 90 percent suppression rate reported in similar studies of genital herpes. Nevertheless, the authors suggest that selected patients with frequent labial herpes may want to consider taking suppressive daily acyclovir.

— ASB

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine February 23, 1993

Citation(s):

Rooney JF et al. Oral acyclovir to suppress frequently recurrent herpes labialis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 1993 Feb 15 118 268-272.

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