Vesicular Eruption
A Local Complication of Concentrated Acyclovir Infusions
- Robert K. Sylvester, PharmD;
- William B. Ogden, MD;
- Cheryl A. Draxler, PharmD;
- F. Bruce Lewis, MD
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
Excerpt
THE ANTIVIRAL agent acyclovir is effective in preventing progression of herpes zoster in immunocompromised patients.1-3 The following case report describes an immunocompromised patient who developed vesicles at three different intravenous (IV) acyclovir sites. A review of the literature and the package insert provided by Burroughs Wellcome Co failed to document previous similar occurrences.4
Report of a Case A 60-year-old man came to the emergency department with a three-day history of left-sided facial pain associated with an erythematous vesicular eruption involving the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve. No ocular involvement was noted. His medical history included chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated with splenectomy and chlorambucil and prednisone. A diagnosis of herpes zoster was made and, because of the proximity of the lesion to the eye and his underlying lymphoproliferative disease, he was admitted to the hospital for IV acyclovir sodium.
On the first day of therapy he received
Footnotes
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Reprint requests to United Hospitals Inc, 333 N Smith Ave, St Paul, MN 55102 (Dr Sylvester).
