Acyclovir chicken pox. Use of Acyclovir for chickenpox in adults - dosage and reviews

I often come across similar questions on health forums. (spelling preserved):

• Who gave acyclovir with chickenpox, tell me if it is easily tolerated? Really helps?
• I am looking for experienced users of the drug Acyclovir for chickenpox. I am interested in how it is tolerated by the child and whether it really helps with chickenpox.
• Girls, tell me, is it possible to give acyclovir to children with chickenpox?

Answers to similar questions on the same forums please with a breadth of views:

• Yes, it is necessary to appoint. Acyclovir helps to better transfer chickenpox.
• It makes no sense to prescribe - no effect.
• It is dangerous to prescribe acyclovir to children.

Since such pluralism can no longer be spoiled by anything, let me add another five kopecks to the public discussion.

Let's start with the drug

Acyclovir is one of the most famous and truly effective antiviral drugs. For the entire period of its existence, 2,300 tons of acyclovir and its closest analogues were sold around the world until 2003. In order to take away the entire produced volume at one time, it would take 5.1 of the world's most load-bearing mining dump trucks - BELAZ 75710.

Its mechanism of action is not just “improving your acid-base balance”, as is the case with numerous publicized ones, but a direct impact on the vital activity of specific viruses - Herpes Simplex-1, Herpes Simplex -2 and Varicella Zoster .

Everyone who has ever been helped by acyclovir owes it to this woman -

Gertrude Belle Elion , awarded the Nobel Prize for her work on describing the difference in the metabolism of nucleic acids in human cells and viruses, which led her in 1974 to the creation of acyclovir.

The principle of action of acyclovir is simple, like everything ingenious. A virus that enters a cell "privatizes" all DNA and protein synthesis systems for its own needs, that is, in order to reproduce itself. To build viral DNA, special molecules - nucleotides are required.

Acyclovir is converted into one of these nucleotides. Moreover, this transformation occurs only under the influence of one viral enzyme - thymidine kinase. In other words, in healthy cells, where there are no viral enzymes, acyclovir does not engage in any diversions. From here and his famous security. Having received an impostor instead of a normal nucleotide, the viral apparatus stops its work, and the cell, together with the virus, dies.

In the US, acyclovir is registered as Zovirax® (manufacturer -GlaxoSmithKline) and is available in four main forms, not counting the cream and ointment:

• oral suspension
• pills
• capsules
• injection

Suspension, tablets and capsules in the United States are allowed to be used to treat patients with:

1. Shingles (herpes zoster)
2. Genital herpes - for the treatment of the first episodes of HH and its relapses
3. chicken pox (varicella)

The solution for injection in the United States is allowed to be used to treat:

1. Herpes of the skin and mucous membranes in immunosuppressed patients
2. Severe cases of genital herpes in immunocompetent patients
3. Encephalitis due to herpes simplex virus
4. shingles and chicken pox in immunosuppressed patients

Both oral and injectable forms of acyclovir are approved in the country where it was invented for the treatment of patients with chickenpox.

Allowed but used?

Chickenpox in children with a normal immune system is relatively mild and without any treatment. (other than symptomatic).

In the US, doctors recommend that children stay at home only 6-7 days after the first elements of the rash appear. (but not before all elements are crusted or dry). And the Pediatric Society of Canada recommends returning children to school as soon as they feel better, if the temperature was not high, and there were no more than 30 elements of the rash.

Chickenpox is most contagious between 2 days and a few hours before the beginning rashes. Further, the contagiousness goes down. That is, the child is most contagious when you do not even suspect that he has chickenpox.

Complications of chickenpox occur in the following groups of patients:

• newborns (due to immaturity of the immune system)
• HIV-infected
• organ transplant patients
• patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy (eg chemotherapy)

Teenagers and adults tolerate chickenpox worse than children. In children, chickenpox is relatively mild and does not require the use of antiviral drugs. This fact has caused numerous disputes about the advisability of using acyclovir for the treatment of children with normal immune system.

In the USA, three large placebo-controlled studies have been conducted on this topic:

• 1990: 105 children, mean age 8
• 1991: 815 children, mean age 5
• 1992: 68 children, mean age 14

All children had a confirmed diagnosis of chickenpox. Some of them received acyclovir, the other part - a placebo. Neither the children, nor the parents, nor the doctors knew whether the child was receiving the drug or a dummy. (double blind study).

The results showed that the use of acyclovir had a positive effect, but it was very limited:

• fever duration was on average one day less in the acyclovir group than in the placebo group
• rashes on the skin and mucous membranes in the acyclovir group disappeared one day earlier than in the placebo group

An additional limitation was that these effects were observed only in those patients who started acyclovir. in 24 hours after the appearance of the first elements of the rash. For those who started treatment later, the effect was even less noticeable.

As a result, although Acyclovir has been registered for the treatment of chickenpox in all patients, but to date, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend the use of acyclovir in children with a normal immune system. Today the main recommendation is children against Varicella Zoster.

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Therapy for chickenpox is often purely symptomatic, that is, aimed at alleviating symptomatic manifestations. In severe or complicated cases of the disease, the drug Acyclovir is often used. Is acyclovir used to prevent chickenpox? We will discuss this issue in this informative article.

This drug belongs to the group of antiviral drugs, with pronounced activity against herpes simplex viruses types 1, 2 and 3. The causative agent of chickenpox is a herpesvirus called Varicella zoster, which belongs to the 3rd type.

The active substance of the drug is acyclovir - a synthetic analogue of the thymidine nucleoside (a component of the DNA chain)

How does the drug work? After entering the body, under the influence of various factors (cellular enzymes), acyclovir is converted first into monophosphate, then into diphosphate and then into triphosphate. In this state, acyclovir integrates into the viral DNA chain and inhibits further viral replication by inhibiting Varicella zoster DNA polymerase. In other words, the virus simply stops reproducing and subsequently dies along with the carrier cell.

With chickenpox, taking this drug helps to reduce the number of new rashes or prevent their appearance, and accelerate the healing process of viral exanthema. In addition, we will take Acyclovir in the treatment of chickenpox, practically eliminates the development of viral complications and accelerates the recovery process as a whole.

Important. While taking the drug, it is necessary to increase the amount of fluid consumed, due to the possible crystallization of acyclovir in the tubular apparatus.

Acyclovir has an age limit of up to 3 years. The use of the drug during pregnancy and lactation is not recommended. The effect of the drug on the fetus has not been studied.

Side effects:

• Headache;
• High level of fatigue;
• Nausea, vomiting;
• Diarrhea;
• neurological disorders;
• Skin allergic reactions;
• Increase in body temperature;
• Edema of the mucous membranes;

Can Acyclovir be taken to prevent chickenpox? Next, let's look into this issue.

Often, this drug is prescribed as a prophylaxis for chickenpox, starting from the 7th day of the latent form of the course of the disease, that is, 7 days after contact with the carrier of the infection. Prevention of chickenpox in adults with Acyclovir does not have serious statistical data, since the study of this process has not been fully completed. Chickenpox prophylaxis with aciclovir in children has had some success reported in clinical data. Among the 50 Japanese children who drank the tablets for the prevention of chickenpox Acyclovir, about 16 had external manifestations of the infection: fever, characteristic herpes sores, etc. The rest of the infectious manifestations were not observed.

Acyclovir for the prevention of chickenpox in adults can only be prescribed at the discretion of a qualified specialist and in a certain dosage.

Prevention of chickenpox with Acyclovir in adults is not a standard preventive procedure, but it can reduce the degree of aggression of the manifestations of the disease.

There is a theory that the prevention of chickenpox with Acyclovir contributes to the inadequate formation of immunity against the causative agent of the disease. In the future, this may cause the recurrence of this infection.

Reviews

Eugene, 31 years old, Moscow.

My wife is a physician. When I told her that a colleague had chickenpox at work, she urged me to start drinking Acyclovir tablets, since I had not come across this disease before. She said to take 1 tablet in the morning and 1 in the evening after meals. In general, I drank this drug for 7 days, after which I stopped. After 5 days my temperature rose to 38 degrees. Then, the next day, in the evening, red spots appeared on the face. Then rashes began to form all over the body, but there were relatively few of them. The temperature remained around 38 degrees for 4 days after the rash appeared, then it began to decrease and returned to normal after 2 days. By the end of the illness, I counted about 30 elements of the rash on the body, some were already covered with a crust, others were beginning to cover. Yes, when the temperature appeared, I resumed the use of Acyclovir, but I drank not 5 days, as indicated in the instructions, but 4 (my wife insisted), since this drug accumulates in the body.

In general, I did not endure chickenpox as badly as it could be, and probably because the prevention of chickenpox with Acyclovir made a certain contribution.

Olga, 37 years old, St. Petersburg.

I work as a kindergarten teacher. Previously, chickenpox did not hurt and did not attach any importance to this. When there was an outbreak of this disease in my group, I began to worry. I read reviews about Acyclovir for the prevention of chickenpox in adults on the Internet. Some argue that this is an effective method, others insist that it is better to wait for the first manifestations of the disease. I decided to start treatment without waiting for anything. I read the original instructions for the drug and looked for information on the Internet. It turned out that adults for the treatment of chickenpox are prescribed 4 tablets 4 times a day. Since I didn’t find anything concrete about prevention, I decided to stop at 4/4. For 5 days I drank Acyclovir tablets, after which I stopped. I waited for the infection to appear, but did not wait. Either I simply did not get infected after contact with a sick child, or prophylaxis with this drug helped.

Ivan, 27 years old, Novosibirsk.

My girlfriend got chicken pox. As a child, I did not have this infection, and since the girl and I did not meet for a long time, I did not talk about such trifles. She called me to her house, I came. When I went to see her, I found her sitting on the couch in a dressing gown. Everything would be fine, but the green dots on her face puzzled me. I sat with her for no more than half an hour, after which I went to my place. Immediately I began to look for an affordable preventive method so as not to get chickenpox. I looked through a lot of forums and came across prophylaxis with Acyclovir. Bought this product the next day. Since the instructions indicate that it is necessary to start treatment when the first symptoms of the disease appear, I decided to wait a bit. I waited another 8 days, I started taking 3 tablets a day, in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening. I drank for 5 days, and the next day there was a slight temperature. It was slightly above 37 degrees and stayed at that level for 3 days, after which it returned to normal levels. The rash was not much at all, some areas began to pass the next day. There were only 10 bubbles all over the body. I do not remember that itching really tormented me.

Chickenpox is a well-known disease that occurs more often in preschool children, but sometimes the infection also attacks adults. The most studied and safe drug for the treatment of chickenpox is Acyclovir ointment. Consider its properties, dosage forms and application features.

What is windmill

To understand whether it is possible to smear rashes with chickenpox in children with Acyclovir, you need to figure out what the disease is. Chickenpox is an easily transmitted infection. The causative agent is the herpes virus Varicella Zoster. Once in the blood, it multiplies, causing fever, headache. The virus also penetrates the skin, where papules and vesicles with liquid form.

In a person who has had chickenpox, the virus remains in the nerve ganglia. There he is in an inactive state. With a decrease in immunity, the pathogen wakes up, migrates from the blood under the skin, manifesting itself in the form of shingles. This form of infection is characterized by a rash along the intercostal spaces. Papules are very painful, contain the same virus. Therefore, a person, as an adult, is just as contagious as in childhood, when he had chickenpox. The patient is a danger to other family members, and most of all to pregnant women. When infected in the I and II trimester, a woman may have a child with congenital chickenpox and a pathology of the nervous system.

The Varicella Zoster virus has another feature: it spreads faster in an adult's body. The rash lasts longer, the blisters are more difficult to heal, and the temperature rises to 38-39 degrees. Therefore, in adults, antiviral drugs in tablets are used in the treatment of chickenpox and shingles. In children, the infection in most cases proceeds easily and without complications. Medicines with antiviral action are rarely prescribed to children.

How the drug works

According to the pharmacological action, Acyclovir belongs to the group of antiviral drugs. Initially, the drug was used to eliminate herpes simplex (Herpes simplex), which causes a rash on the face or genitals. The causative agent of chickenpox is related to it in structure.

Acyclovir is produced in the following dosage forms:

• 5% ointment for external use in tubes with a capacity of 5, 10, 15 or 30 grams;
• 5% cream, 2, 5 or 10 grams in tubes;
• 3% eye ointment in tubes of 5 grams;
• tablets containing 200 mg of the active substance;
• lyophilizate;
• suppositories for rectal use.

Acyclovir acts directly on the virus. By integrating into the genetic DNA chain, the drug blocks the reproduction of new strains. In addition, the substance accumulates in the affected tissues, which enhances its effectiveness. The drug prevents the spread of the rash, stimulates the formation of crusts. With shingles reduces the intensity of pain. The drug removes viral intoxication, accelerates recovery.

How to use ointment and cream

External antiviral agents are used for a child and an adult according to the same scheme. Acyclovir is more often prescribed to children in the form of an ointment or cream. The active substance of both dosage forms is the same. The ointment has a denser consistency and creates a film, so it lasts longer on the skin. The cream is absorbed faster and does not stain clothes.

With chickenpox, Acyclovir ointment is more often used. Papules and watery vesicles are lubricated with the medicine, without affecting the surrounding tissues. On healthy areas of the skin, it causes a burning sensation. Ear sticks are used to apply the product. Ointment Acyclovir is used from the first day of rashes 5 times a day, excluding night hours. The course of treatment usually lasts 5-7 days. If necessary, the doctor extends therapy up to 10 days.

Acyclovir dries up the blisters, reduces itching. The ointment is also used to prevent chickenpox for family members in contact with the patient. The active substance creates a dense coating on the rashes, reducing the degree of infection of people around.

The chickenpox virus also infects the mucous membranes of the mouth and conjunctiva. Eye 3% ointment Acyclovir copes with this problem. A strip 1 cm long squeezed out of the tube is placed in the lower eyelid 5 times a day. Treatment in adults and children is continued until the symptoms of inflammation disappear and for another 3 days to consolidate the action.

Acyclovir tablets

Antiviral treatment of chickenpox is used mainly in adults to prevent complications. Acyclovir tablets for chickenpox in children are used in severe cases of the disease. This need arises with a decrease in immunity in young patients. Medications for chickenpox are prescribed only by a doctor, since the drugs have contraindications. In babies up to a year, Acyclovir is used for profuse rashes or severe intoxication with high fever.

Dosage of tablets depending on age:

• a baby under 2 years of age is prescribed 100-200 mg 3 or 4 times a day;
• a child older than 2 years is given 200 mg 4 or 5 times a day;
• children 3-6 years old are prescribed 400 mg per day, divided into 4 doses;
• from 6 years of age - 800 mg 4 times a day;
• adults take 800 mg 5 times a day.

While taking antiviral drugs, it is necessary to drink plenty of fluids to prevent complications in the kidneys. The course of treatment with Acyclovir in children and adults usually lasts 5-7 days. Antiviral therapy is started at the first sign of the disease. The doctor increases the dose of the drug in case of malabsorption in the intestine or concomitant immunodeficiency states.

For the treatment of chickenpox and herpes zoster in adults, Acyclovir and similar drugs, Famciclovir and Valaciclovir, are used. Giving these medications within the first 72 hours of the onset of the rash relieves pain and speeds up the formation of crusts. Acyclovir reduces the occurrence of neuralgia at the site of the rash by 26% after 6 months. New drugs are more convenient for patients because the frequency of administration can be reduced.

Use in newborns

The drug is also used for congenital chickenpox in infants. Children are born with this disease if the mother had the disease in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. It doesn't matter if the infection was mild or severe. A child becomes infected with chickenpox from the mother even if she has had chickenpox shortly before childbirth. In both cases, the pathology causes severe consequences in newborns.

Acyclovir is used in children under one year old only if there are signs of intoxication - temperatures up to 39 degrees, profuse itchy rash. In very rare cases, the drug is administered intravenously through a dropper. For this, the hospital uses Acyclovir lyophilisate at the rate of 10 mg per 1 kg of the child's weight. The course of treatment and the frequency of dosage depend on the severity of the infection.

Side effects

In people with hypersensitivity of the skin after applying the ointment and cream, side effects may occur: burning, peeling of the skin, increased itching, keratitis, blepharitis.

When taken internally, Acyclovir causes diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. After the use of large doses, insomnia, hallucinations, hair loss are observed. The consequence of intravenous infusion may be psychosis, tremors or convulsions.

Contraindications

Acyclovir should not be used by pregnant women. Do not use it in case of hypersensitivity to the drug. If the drug is taken by a nursing mother, breastfeeding is canceled for the period of treatment. It is used with extreme caution in people with renal insufficiency.

After taking Acyclovir, visual acuity temporarily decreases, so it is not recommended to drive vehicles during the treatment period.

Chickenpox prevention

Is it possible to use Acyclovir tablets for prophylaxis to healthy people if there is a sick child in the family? This measure is not effective, because the drug affects the virus already present in the blood or vesicles. To prevent infection, it is better to lubricate the rashes in a sick child with ointment, bathe him in warm water, after which the skin should not be wiped, but blotted. In addition, an optimal temperature of 20-22 ºC is created in the room, which will reduce the patient's sweating and the multiplication of the virus in the air.

Only vaccination is guaranteed to protect against chickenpox. In Japan, America and Western countries, these vaccinations are mandatory, and in Russia - voluntary.

Aciclovir is the main drug used for chickenpox, shingles, herpes simplex, and Epstein-Barr disease. The drug is effective, safe, clinically tested.

Many from childhood are familiar with such a disease as chickenpox. Children often get sick with it, and since this disease is viral, it must be treated exclusively with antiviral drugs. Antibiotics won't help here.

The disease manifests itself as a fluid-filled rash all over the body. It is at this moment that such a proven and effective remedy as Acyclovir comes to the rescue. In pharmacies, it can be found in different forms of release - these are tablets, ointment, cream and lyophilisate (a means for injection).

Indications for use, methods of using the drug "Acyclovir"

This drug is made from the substance of the same name Aciclovir, and depending on the dosage form, its content varies. 1 gram of the drug accounts for:

As for the excipients of Acyclovir, their quantity and content depend on the manufacturer.

Indications for use for children

As a rule, Acyclovir is prescribed to children strictly by prescription of a pediatrician if the child has an acute form of chickenpox. The drug can be prescribed to babies under the age of 1 year, if the disease is severe, as well as with congenital chickenpox. Newborns and infants also need Acyclovir if they could not get strong immunity during fetal development. In this case, the disease can be very difficult, so this medicine is prescribed by a pediatrician without fail.

Dosage of acyclovir for chickenpox

Annotation to Acyclovir describes in detail the required dosage, but only a doctor can correctly calculate it, taking into account the severity of the disease, the weight and age of the child. Below is the average daily dose of the drug:

For adolescent children, the following rule applies for taking the drug: from 3 to 5 times a day, 1-2 tablets with an active ingredient content of 200 mg.

Duration of medication

The drug "Acyclovir" must be taken for a minimum of 5 days and a maximum of 10 days. If the doctor prescribes injections, then they must be carried out strictly in a hospital (the patient is given intravenous drips).

Cream and ointment

As mentioned earlier, the drug "Acyclovir" is also available in the form of an ointment and cream with a 5% content of the active substance. They help the rapid healing of blisters, which appear as a skin rash. However, it is not recommended to apply the drug to the entire surface of the skin, as it will clog the pores and thereby interfere with skin breathing. Therefore, doctors recommend using an ointment or cream locally, that is, only on the affected areas, even better - using the point method specifically on the bubbles.

The ointment should be used only in the daytime at least 5-6 times, it is not necessary to apply it at night. The drug will help get rid of skin itching and inflammation, its effect can be felt already on the 2nd or 3rd day of use.

The drug "Acyclovir" is good because it destroys the virus at the level of its DNA, it is this method that is the most effective in treating a disease such as chickenpox. In addition, this medicine is actively used in the fight against herpes, colds that appear in the lips and other similar ailments.

This drug is prescribed for adults, as well as adolescents aged 14 years and older at the first signs of the manifestation of the disease. The recommended form is tablets. How to take Acyclovir for chickenpox in adolescents and adults:

Side effects and precautions

Acyclovir is a very strong and effective drug that effectively fights viral diseases. However, it is strongly not recommended to take it on your own. Chickenpox should be treated only by a doctor, who also prescribes the dosage of the medicine. Each child and adult tolerates the virus differently, and treatment will only be effective if a qualified doctor calculates the dose for one day in accordance with the person's body weight and age.

When the drug is prescribed to a child, his mother during the first days of treatment should carefully monitor how her child's body reacts to the drug. This is important, because in case of individual intolerance to one of the components of Acyclovir, it can lead to an allergic reaction and worsen the general condition of a small patient.

There are a number of some contraindications in which it is not allowed to drink Acyclovir tablets:

• prolonged dehydration of the body;
• problems with neurology;
• during breastfeeding;
• in diseases of the urinary tract.

If the patient has kidney problems, then such a medicine is prescribed to him with extreme caution. If Acyclovir is required by a pregnant woman, then it can be safely taken as directed by a doctor.

In general, Acyclovir is well absorbed by the body and does not cause any health problems. Sometimes the following side effects may occur:

• headache;
• bouts of nausea;
• intestinal disorders;
• stomach ache;
• drowsiness;
• general malaise;
• with a serious excess of the prescribed dose, hallucinations or impaired motor functions of the body may occur;
• possible decrease in the number of erythrocytes and leukocytes in the blood;
• when injected, inflammation of the blood vessel can sometimes occur;
• the rarest side effect is partial baldness of the scalp.

Prevention with Acyclovir

Many patients are very interested in the question, is it possible to drink Acyclovir as a prophylaxis against the virus? And if so, how much to take such a medicine and in what dosage?

The answer to these questions is simple - the prevention of treatment of chickenpox with Acyclovir should also be carried out as directed by a doctor. Self-medication can be hazardous to health. If a person is afraid of a recurrence of the infection, he can consult a doctor on this issue, after which he will be prescribed an individual dosage of Acyclovir. Here everything will depend on how seriously the disease proceeded, what was the reaction of the body to this medicine and the general period of infection.

If prophylaxis is required for a small child under the age of 2 years, then he is usually given a dose that is equal to half the dose for an adult.

If there is a need to adjust the dosage, then it is also carried out by the attending physician.

Olya 22.03.2018

"Acyclovir" remarkably restores the skin, relieves redness. I recommend using this ointment not only for chickenpox, but also for other skin diseases. I use "Acyclovir" even for herpes.

Olya 23.08.2018

Nina 21.05.2019

I did not know what exactly Acyclovir should be used for chickenpox. before, they only smeared with green paint and everything. But progress does not stand still and this is very good. Now I will know and apply as needed.

Add a comment

Chickenpox is a highly contagious viral infection that is often treated with antiviral drugs, one of which is Acyclovir. In this article we will tell you what effect Acyclovir has on chickenpox in adults.

In modern medicine, this antiviral drug is the most used. The active substance of this agent is acyclovir, a synthetic analogue of the purine nucleotide, which, when it enters the body of an infected person, is converted into triphosphate under the influence of various cellular enzymes and is included in the DNA chain of the virus. When this happens, the bonds are broken and the virus stops replicating, that is, stops further development.

Acyclovir is especially active against viruses of the herpes family of types 1, 2 and 3, and the causative agent of chicken pox, Varicella zoster, is just a representative of this family and belongs to type 3. For this reason, the drug is widely used in the treatment of chickenpox.

To date, this tool is on the market in 2 types: tablets and ointment of the same name. In the treatment of chickenpox in adults, the drug can be prescribed in tablets and ointments, which together have a much greater effect. Tablets contribute to the fight against the virus inside the body, and Acyclovir ointment with chickenpox fights the external manifestations of the infection, with a rash, significantly accelerating the healing process of the rashes.

Note that the ointment can have many names (Akrikhin cream, for example), but regardless of the name, the active substance is acyclovir.

In the treatment of chickenpox, it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions and not exceed the daily allowance of the substance.

How to take pills? The use of this drug in the treatment of primary infection caused by the Varicella zoster virus in adult individuals of the society is prescribed in a volume of 800 mg. 5 times a day, at regular intervals.

How to drink? The drug must be taken with plenty of water, since the substance can crystallize in the kidneys, and this can provoke serious consequences from the tubular apparatus. The daily dosage of acyclovir for chickenpox in adults should not exceed 5 g. Treatment should begin at the first manifestation of infection.

How many days to drink? The course of therapy is 7-10 days.

How to use the ointment? The agent is applied in a thin layer to the areas of the skin layer affected by the rash 5 times a day at regular intervals. The course of treatment is 5-10 days.

Do I need to use tablets and ointment in all cases of chickenpox? Doctors do not recommend the use of this drug for mild chickenpox.

Some doctors may recommend using Acyclovir tablets after exposure to the varicella-zoster virus to prevent infection. As a rule, Acyclovir is prescribed in a volume of 200 mg. 4 times a day, at regular intervals or 400 mg. 2 times a day, after 12 hours.

Note that this prophylaxis for people with a normal immune system status is not entirely good, since after the infection has been transferred, a stable lifelong immunity is produced in the body. After preventive measures, with the use of this antiviral drug, immunity is not developed and, accordingly, there is a possibility of re-infection.

Often, the prevention of chickenpox with Acyclovir is used in relation to persons with depressed immunity or severe immunodeficiency.

I am 29 years old, I got chicken pox for the first time. I heard before from friends that in adulthood this disease is difficult. I remember that at that time they still laughed at one comrade who had recently been ill with this infection. In truth, it was oh how hard and completely not funny for me when I felt all the manifestations of the disease. The doctor who was called by my wife, since I was lying with a temperature of 39.3, prescribed Acyclovir tablets and ointment. At first they wanted to be hospitalized, but I refused, because my wife was just sitting at home, on vacation and could look after me. By the way, she had been ill with chickenpox as a child and therefore was not afraid to get infected.

After 2 days of using the tablets and ointment, I felt relief, the temperature dropped. A day later, I already felt much better and walked around the balcony to breathe and bask in the sun. In general, I fell ill for about 6-7 days, I stopped drinking pills on the 7th day, and smeared the rash until the sores were completely covered with acne. A good remedy, I don’t even know how I would have endured this disease without this drug.

Victoria, Moscow.

I got chicken pox for the first time at the age of 34. The husband immediately went to his mother with the children, since he was not sick either, and, of course, I did not want to infect the children. Even before the appearance of the first rashes, I felt a sharp increase in temperature and severe weakness. 2 days after the onset of temperature, reddish spots appeared on my face, and a few hours later I was lying in bed, covered with pimples and with a temperature of 38.8 degrees. I called the doctor home, because I understood that you couldn’t get off with brilliant green here. The doctor prescribed Acyclovir tablets.

On the second day, after using the drug, I began to feel better, the temperature dropped to 37.9 degrees (then the truth rose again, but not for long), an appetite appeared. Since I also had ulcers in my mouth, it was unpleasant to eat. I treated ulcers separately, that's not the point.

Thanks to this tool, I already felt good on the 5th day. Then I read on different sites, there are a lot of questions about this medicine, they say, does Acyclovir help at all. Of course, how many people, so many opinions, but this remedy helped me very well.

In custody

This drug is really able to alleviate the course of chickenpox and speed up the healing process. Is it necessary to use this drug for chickenpox? Whether or not to use this antiviral in your case of chickenpox is up to your healthcare provider.

Which is better - Kagocel or Acyclovir? The question is complicated, since these drugs belong to different groups of medicines, since Kagocel is primarily an immunomodulator and does not have a direct effect on the virus. Therefore, you should not choose between these drugs, but it makes sense to use them together, since the action of the antiviral agent is more effective.