Iqbal Ahmad Memon, Ammarah Jamal, Hamida Memon.
An experience of oral acyclovir in treating children with varicella infection.
Pak J Med Sci Jan ;24(3):590-4.

Objectives: To study the morbidity and complications of varicella infection in patients treated with acyclovir. Methodology: It is a descriptive observational study conducted at Paediatric out patient department of Civil Hospital Karachi during September 1997 to March 1998. All children between the ages of 2-15 years presenting with clinical features of varicella but healthy otherwise and of average weight, and presenting within 72 hours of the onset of rash were treated with oral acyclovir in a dose of 80mg/ kg/ day for five days. At the end of five days the patients were evaluated for the duration of illness, severity of rash & itch and development of complications. The patients were also assessed for the side effects of the drug. Cost of the treatment was also calculated. Results: A total of 31 children, 15 male and 16 females were studied. After the treatment the fever remained for 1- 8 days (mean 3.12 days). Eighteen (58%) patients had a moderate rash. Six(19.3%) had a severe rash while in seven(22%) the rash was of mild nature. Twenty (64.5%) of the patients had a moderate itch while five patients each (16.1%) had mild and severe itch. New rash continued to appear for three to nine days (mean 3.3 days). Complications were noted in three(6.9%) patients` only and included otitis media, pneumonia and secondary bacterial infection of vesicular lesions in one patient each. None of the patients developed any side effects to the drug. The average cost of treatment was Rs.3269/=. Conclusion: Use of oral acyclovir in varicella infection (chicken pox) seems to limit new rash formation and total duration of illness to an average of

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