Honey can help in herpes simplex gingivostomatitis in children: Prospective randomized double blind placebo...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Oral medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Herpes simplex gingivostomatitis (HSGS) is a common, painful viral infection in children.
• Current treatments primarily focus on symptom management and antiviral therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of combining honey with acyclovir suspension versus acyclovir alone for treating HSGS in young children.
• To compare the clinical outcomes in children receiving the combined therapy versus standard antiviral treatment.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 100 children aged 2-8 years with HSGS.
• Participants were treated with either honey plus oral acyclovir or oral acyclovir alone.
• Outcomes including lesion severity, fever, eating ability, pain, and analgesic need were assessed on days 3, 5, and 7.

Main Results:

• The honey-acyclovir group showed significantly faster resolution of oral lesions (median 3 days vs. 6 days) and reduced drooling (median 2 days vs. 4 days).
• Children receiving combined therapy experienced significantly shorter eating difficulties (median 3 days vs. 8 days) and reported lower pain scores.
• Both groups showed similar fever resolution, but the combined group required less analgesia.

Conclusions:

• Combined honey and acyclovir therapy offers a favorable outcome for treating primary herpetic gingivostomatitis in children.
• This combination may enhance the effectiveness of acyclovir in managing HSGS symptoms and accelerating recovery.