Oral acyclovir suppression and neurodevelopment after neonatal herpes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Poor neurodevelopmental outcomes and recurrences of cutaneous lesions remain unacceptably frequent among survivors of neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) disease.

Methods

We enrolled neonates with HSV disease in two parallel, identical, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. Neonates with central nervous system (CNS) involvement were enrolled in one study, and neonates with skin, eye, and mouth involvement only were enrolled in the other. After completing a regimen of 14 to 21 days of parenteral acyclovir, the infants were randomly assigned to immediate acyclovir suppression (300 mg per square meter of body-surface area per dose orally, three times daily for 6 months) or placebo. Cutaneous recurrences were treated with open-label episodic therapy.

Results

SUBMITTER: Kimberlin DW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3250992 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature