Successful treatment with acyclovir of an immunodeficient patient infected simultaneously with multiple herpesviruses.
A patient with recurrent simultaneous chronic infections, including cytomegalovirus pneumonia, disseminated zoster and perineal herpes simplex infection, whose immune responses were deficient (immunodeficient), is presented. Following treatment with acyclovir (19-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)guanine), this patient had a rapid remission of these viral infections. The patient's clinical improvement is remarkable considering the duration of the viral infections and the continued immune deficiency. Acyclovir appears to act by a highly selective activation by and inhibition of viral enzymes. Prospective trials of this agent in immunosuppressed patients with herpes virus infections seem warranted.
D000212:Acyclovir; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
D006147:Guanine; D000212:Acyclovir