| 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
arrhythmias, 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 |
|
