Herpes Simplex Medication

  • Author: Michelle R Salvaggio, MD, FACP; Chief Editor: Burke A Cunha, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 5, 2012
 

Medication Summary

The goals of pharmacotherapy are to reduce morbidity and to prevent complications.

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Antivirals

Class Summary

Nucleoside analogs are phosphorylated initially by viral thymidine kinase to eventually form a nucleoside triphosphate. These molecules inhibit herpes simplex virus (HSV) polymerase with 30-50 times the potency of human alpha-DNA polymerase.

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Penciclovir (Denavir)

 

Inhibitor of DNA polymerase in HSV-1 and HSV-2 strains, inhibiting viral replication.

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Acyclovir (Zovirax)

 

Synthetic purine nucleoside analogue with activity against a number of herpesviruses, including herpes simplex and varicella-zoster. Highly selective for virus-infected cells because of its high affinity for viral thymidine kinase enzyme. This effect serves to concentrate acyclovir monophosphate into virus-infected cells. The monophosphate then is metabolized into the triphosphate active form by cellular kinases.

Double dose is suggested for herpes simplex proctitis or ocular infections. Ocular infections also can be treated with topical acyclovir. Oral suspension available (40 mg/mL).

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Valacyclovir (Valtrex)

 

Prodrug rapidly converted to the active drug acyclovir. More expensive but has a more convenient dosing regimen than acyclovir.

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Famciclovir (Famvir)

 

Prodrug that when biotransformed into active metabolite, penciclovir, may inhibit viral DNA synthesis/replication. Used against herpes simplex and varicella-zoster viruses.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Michelle R Salvaggio, MD, FACP  Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine; Medical Director of Infectious Diseases Institute, Director, Clinical Trials Unit, Director, Ryan White Programs, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; Attending Physician, Infectious Diseases Consultation Service, Infectious Diseases Institute, OU Medical Center

Michelle R Salvaggio, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Merck Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Coauthor(s)

Larry I Lutwick, MD  Professor of Medicine, State University of New York Downstate Medical School; Director, Infectious Diseases, Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Health Care System, Brooklyn Campus

Larry I Lutwick, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Meena Seenivasan, MD  Fellow, Department of Infectious Disease, State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Swati Kumar, MD  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical College of Wisconsin, Consulting Staff, Children's Specialty Group, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin

Swati Kumar, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Thomas J Marrie, MD  Dean of Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine, Canada

Thomas J Marrie, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians, American Society for Microbiology, Canadian Infectious Disease Society, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Charles V Sanders, MD  Edgar Hull Professor and Chairman, Department of Internal Medicine, Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine at New Orleans; Medical Director, Medicine Hospital Center, Charity Hospital and Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans; Consulting Staff, Ochsner Medical Center

Charles V Sanders, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, Alpha Omega Alpha, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association of University Professors, American Clinical and Climatological Association, American College of Physician Executives, American College of Physicians, American Federation for Medical Research, American Foundation for AIDS Research, American Geriatrics Society, American Lung Association, American Medical Association, American Society for Microbiology, American Thoracic Society, American Venereal Disease Association, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Association of American Medical Colleges, Association of American Physicians, Association of Professors of Medicine, Infectious Disease Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Louisiana State Medical Society, Orleans Parish Medical Society, Royal Society of Medicine, Sigma Xi, Society of General Internal Medicine, Southeastern Clinical Club, Southern Medical Association, Southern Society for Clinical Investigation, and Southwestern Association of Clinical Microbiology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Eleftherios Mylonakis, MD  Clinical and Research Fellow, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital

Eleftherios Mylonakis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American College of Physicians, American Society for Microbiology, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Burke A Cunha, MD  Professor of Medicine, State University of New York School of Medicine at Stony Brook; Chief, Infectious Disease Division, Winthrop-University Hospital

Burke A Cunha, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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This neonate displayed a maculopapular outbreak on his feet due to congenitally acquired herpes simplex virus infection. Courtesy of the CDC/Judith Faulk.
 
 
 
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