Acyclovir Prevents Reactivation of Herpes Simplex Labialis in Skiers
- Spotswood L. Spruance, MD;
- Mary Lou Hamill, PharmD;
- William S. Hoge, RPh;
- L. Gray Davis, MS;
- John Mills, MD
- From the Department of Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine (Dr Spruance), and the Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy (Dr Hamill and Mr Hoge), University of Utah, Salt Lake City; the Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of California, San Francisco (Dr Mills); and the Virology Section, Burroughs Wellcome Co, Research Triangle Park, NC (Ms Davis).
Abstract
To determine the effectiveness of an antiviral to prevent herpes labialis during a brief, high-risk circumstance, 147 persons with a history of sun-induced recurrences were treated prophylactically with oral acyclovir or matching placebo and were observed during their ski holidays. Five (7%) of 75 acyclovir-treated subjects developed lesions compared with 19 (26%) of 72 persons in the placebo group.
(JAMA 1988;260:1597-1599)
Footnotes
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Reprint requests to Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132 (Dr Spruance).
