Update on antiviral therapy for genital herpes infection

For the primary infection of genital herpes, antiviral therapy with acyclov ir is the gold standard. For recurrences, there are two options: antiviral treatment of each outbreak as it arises, or suppression of outbreaks with d aily oral therapy. Patients tend to prefer the latter because it can decrea se the number and severity of outbreaks, but it increases asymptomatic vira l shedding and, therefore, the risk of unwittingly transmitting herpes simp lex virus to uninfected sexual partners.