Acyclovir |
Neonatal CNS disease
20 mg/kg/dose IV tds x 21 days
Neonatal skin, eye or mouth disease
20 mg/kg/dose IV tds x 14 days
Outside neonatal period – CNS disease
10 mg/kg/dose IV tds x 14 days
Severe gingivostomatitis
5-10 mg/kg/dose IV tds x 14 days
Mild gingivostomatitis & genital herpes
20 mg/kg/day PO tds x 7-14 days (max: 400 mg/dose) |
Phlebitis, renal toxicity, nausea, vomiting, rash, neutropenia |
Drug of choice for Herpes simplex 1 & 2 |
Foscarnet |
120 mg/kg/d IV in 2-3 divided doses till infection resolves |
Renal toxicity, electrolyte abnormalities in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, seizures, cardiac arrhythmias, elevated liver transaminases |
Used for acyclovir resistant HSV infection |
Valacyclovir |
1 gm twice daily PO for 7-10 days for genital herpes in adolescents |
Renal toxicity. Other side effects as of acyclovir, nausea, vomiting, thrombotic microangiopathy |
Data in children is limited |
Famciclovir |
500 mg PO BD x 7 days for recurrent mucocutaneous herpes in adolescents |
Renal toxicity, GI disturbances, rash, confusion, hallucinations, neutropenia, elevated liver enzymes. |
Data limited in children |