Methisazone therapy in pediatric vaccinia complications

Methisazone 40 mg/kg/day was administered orally to six pediatric and one adult patient who contracted vesicular complications affecting the skin or mucocutaneous junctions 3 to 9 days after antismallpox vaccination, and to one elderly man with myeloid leukemia who developed vaccinia necrosum. Therapy was commenced 2 to 10 days after onset of complications and was administered for 3 days. All patients with skin or mucocutaneous complications showed dramatic clinical responses within one day after commencement of antiviral chemotherapy, and complete recovery occurred within one week. Clinical improvement was noted 4 days after therapy was begun in the case of vaccinia necrosum, and recovery occurred after 3 weeks.