Recurrent genital herpes: 3-day course as good as 5
22 March 2002
A short course of antiviral therapy for recurrent genital herpes can be an effective alternative to a traditional 5-day course, 2 overseas studies show.
Data from 131 people in the first study showed 800 mg of oral aciclovir 3 times a day for 2 days reduced duration of lesions, episode and viral shedding compared to placebo (dummy treatment).
US researchers described how this regimen also increased the number of aborted episodes (lesions that were suppressed by the treatment) in the scientific journal Clinical Infectious Diseases (2002; 34: 944-48).
In the second study, US and Canadian researchers compared the efficacy of oral valaciclovir 500 mg twice daily for either 3 or 5 days.
In the 800 people studied, time to lesion healing, pain duration and episode length were similar in both groups. The proportion of people with aborted lesions was also similar.
Thus the authors concluded that a 3-day course of valaciclovir twice daily is equivalent to a 5-day course (Clinical Infectious Diseases 2002; 34: 958-62).
The first study was partly supported by Burroughs Wellcome and the second by GlaxoSmithKline.
Last Reviewed: 28 March 2002
- 1. Medical Observer Weekly 22/03/02
