[Acyclovir in the treatment of severe generalized forms of herpes zoster]

Aciclovir administration in 8 herpes zoster patients aged 14-74 to manage resistant generalized herpetic eruption, serous meningitis, meningoencephalitis resulted in a pronounced response in 5 of them. Aciclovir has the advantage of its effectiveness in spite of late treatment (on herpes zoster day 6-22). This is particularly important for those forms of the disease which manifest severe symptoms during the second phase, i.e. disseminated eruption, involvement of brain matter, etc. Two lethal outcomes due to pulmonary artery embolism were unrelated to the drug administration.