[Treatment of herpes zoster]

A critical study of therapeutic trial reports on herpes zoster is presented. It is noteworthy that authors are frequently unaware of the natural history of herpes zoster; therapeutic trials are not always correctly designed; misinterpretation of the data is not unfrequent. Proof of efficacy is missing for several commonly used drugs. Two groups of drug seem promising: -- Modern antiviral nucleoside analogues : Acyclovir, Vidarabine, Bromovinyl-desoxyuridine are probably effective for severe herpes zoster in immunocompromized patients. -Systemic adrenal steroids are effective as a prevention of post-herpetic neuralgia in elderly patients. The real usefulness of these two treatment procedures, as a whole and for individual patient, remains to be established by well-designed controlled trials. Other treatments should be surrended.