title: Use of long-term suppressive acyclovir after hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation: impact on herpes simplex virus (HSV) disease and drug-resistant HSV disease.
abstract: The effect that long-term use of suppressive acyclovir (ACV) has on both overall herpes simplex virus (HSV) disease and ACV-resistant HSV disease was examined in 3 consecutive cohorts of hematopoietic stem-cell transplant (HCT) recipients (n=2049); cohort 1 received ACV for 30 days after HCT, cohort 2 received it for 1 year after HCT, and cohort 3 received it for an extended period (i.e., >1 year) if the patient's immunosuppression continued after 1 year. The 2-year probability of HSV disease was 31.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 28.0%-35%) in cohort 1, 3.9% (95% CI, 2.7%-5.2%) in cohort 2, and 0% in cohort 3 (P<.001). ACV-resistant HSV disease developed in 10 patients in cohort 1 (2-year probability, 1.3% [95% CI, 0.8%-2.7%]), in 2 patients in cohort 2 (2-year probability, 0.2% [95% CI, 0%-0.8%]; P=.006), and in 0 patients in cohort 3 (cohort 2 vs. cohort 3, P=.3). Long-term use of suppressive prophylactic ACV appears to prevent the emergence of drug-resistant HSV disease in HCT.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA.
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Erard
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wald
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corey
authors.forename: Wendy M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Leisenring
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boeckh
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000212:Acyclovir