Antiviral treatment of varicella in adults and immunocompromised hosts (adults and children)

Varicella remains a benign and highly contagious disease, frequent in child ren. It is rare in the immunocompetent adults. In this population, pneumoni a, although unfrequent, may account for a higher mortality than in children and is the only indication for antiviral treatment of variceila in immunoc ompetent adults. Treatment uses intravenous aciclovir. On the contrary, imm unocomprised children and adults are exposed to severe manifestations of va ricella with extensive cutaneous lesions and visceral localizations, leadin g to an increased mortality. Treatment is, thus, mandatory, with intravenou s aciclovir 10 mg/kg or 500 mg/m(2), 8 hourly for 7 to 10 days. Failure of this regimen is unfrequent, and in one case resistance to aciclovir has bee n documented. Foscarnet, vidarabine or sorivudine are possible alternatives .