title: Viral diseases of the skin: diagnosis and antiviral treatment.
abstract: Viral diseases in children can present with characteristic mucocutaneous manifestations. This article focuses, from a practical clinical point of view, on the laboratory and clinical diagnoses, and treatment of pediatric dermatological diseases that have specific antiviral therapies: herpes virus infections (including varicella), papillomavirus infections and molluscum contagiosum. Special issues, such as viral infections in pregnancy, therapy of viral infections in immunosuppressed children, as well as special problems associated with the epidemiology of genital herpes and papillomavirus infections in adolescents are discussed. The antivirals discussed in detail include: aciclovir, valaciclovir, famciclovir, penciclovir, cidofovir, foscarnet and the immune response modulator, imiquimod. Since these antiviral drugs generally have not been evaluated in children, caution should be exercised with their usage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech University, Mail Drop #9400, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79416, USA. zoltan.trizna@ttmc.ttuhsc.edu
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Trizna
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008976:Molluscum Contagiosum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D010212:Papilloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011212:Poxviridae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017193:Skin Diseases, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents