title: [Herpes zoster--treatment with acyclovir].
abstract: We investigated the effect of acyclovir to the evolution of cutaneous changes and acute herpetic neuralgia at the time of herpes zoster infection. The examined group of 47 patients predominantly consisted of women in older ages, with anamnestic data usually referring to the chronic disease or stress as a provoking factor. In case of 19 patients the therapy was initiated in the phase of maculopapular changes, in 24 patients it was in the phase of vesicular changes and in 4 patients in the phase of encrustation. The evolution of cutaneous changes was accelerated under the acyclovir therapy regardless of the phase in which it was initiated. The intensity and duration of acute herpetic neuralgia directly depended on the time of therapy initiation. The patients who were given the therapy in time (not later than 6 days after the disease onset) reported the pain of lower intensity which completely ceased at the time of hospital discharge.
authors.affiliation: Klinika za infektivne i kozno-venericne bolesti, Medicinski fakultet, Novi Sad.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jovanović
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cvjetković
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pobor
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brkić
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000212:Acyclovir