Acyclovir is an antiviral drug that is used to treat symptoms of shingles, chickenpox, cold sores and genital herpes which are all caused by herpes viruses. It is also used to prevent having regular outbreaks of genital herpes. Acyclovir will not get rid of the virus infection but does help sores heal faster and helps with pain relief.
Is acyclovir effective for HIV infection?
Suppressive antiviral therapy does not delay HIV disease progression and is not associated with decreased risk for HIV-related inflammation among persons taking ART ( 506 ). For severe HSV disease, initiating therapy with acyclovir 5–10 mg/kg IV every 8 hours might be necessary.
How effective is suppressive acyclovir in the treatment of recurrent genital herpes?
Suppressive acyclovir treatment starting at 36 weeks’ gestation reduces the frequency of cesarean delivery among women who have recurrent genital herpes by diminishing the frequency of recurrences at term ( 521 – 523 ). However, such treatment might not protect against transmission to neonates in all cases ( 524 ).
What is the best medication to treat viral STIs?
There are several medications available by prescription for the treatment of viral STIs: Hepatitis B: Interferon alpha-2b or pegylated interferon , adefovir, entecavir, tenofovir, lamivudine HIV/AIDS: Antiretroviral medications are used to treat HIV and AIDS. The proper medication for you will depend on the stage of your condition.
What STDs are curable with antibiotics?
STDs caused by bacterial infections include syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. These diseases are curable when treated with the right antibiotics. The doctor will determine the course of treatment based on local and current rates of antibiotic resistance. 1
Which STD is treated with acyclovir?
Genital Herpes Treatment Acyclovir is an antiviral cream that also helps the body fight infection. The sooner you start on these medications, the sooner you'll experience relief from the painful symptoms of herpes.
Does acyclovir treat syphilis?
Parenteral penicillin continues to be the drug of choice for treatment of all stages of syphilis. Three antiviral medications have been shown to provide clinical benefit in the treatment of genital herpes: acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir.
Which STI is treated with antiviral?
STIs caused by viruses include herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), and HIV. These are usually treated with oral antiviral or antiretroviral medications.
Is acyclovir used for HPV?
The recommended regimen is IV acyclovir, 5 to 10 mg/kg q8h for 2 to 7 days or until symptoms are resolved. This is followed by oral antiviral therapy to complete a total of 10 days of treatment. Most HPV infections are asymptomatic, subclinical, or unrecognized.
Does acyclovir treat BV?
Viral vaginitis This virus can be treated with antiviral medicine. These include acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir. These medicines don't kill the virus.
Can antivirals treat chlamydia?
Initial treatment is with antiviral drugs, which may also be necessary episodically or as a suppressive regimen for recurrences. Patient education about prevention of these and other STDs, as well as the impact of such disease on sexual partners, is critical.
Are antivirals used for HPV?
Surprisingly, there is no antiviral drug currently available for the treatment of HPV-associated diseases despite the high incidence of these viruses in the sexually active population (>50% of women [23]) and their well accepted aetiological role in the development of anogenital dysplasia and cancer.
What is used to treat chlamydia?
Chlamydia infection is easily treated with the medicine azithromycin (also known as Zithromax). People with Chlamydia infection may not know they have it because they have no signs or symptoms. Your sex partner has given you azithromycin (pills) medicine or a prescription for azithromycin medicine.
What is the best antibiotic for gonorrhea and chlamydia?
by Drugs.com From the 2015 Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) guidelines, the CDC recommends treatment for a gonorrhea-chlamydia coinfection with azithromycin (Zithromax) 1 gram given orally in a single dose, plus ceftriaxone (Rocephin) 250 mg given intramuscularly as first-line therapy.
What's the difference between HSV 1 and HSV 2?
Key facts. The herpes simplex virus (HSV) is categorized into 2 types: HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 is mainly transmitted by oral-to-oral contact, causing oral herpes (including symptoms known as cold sores), but it can also lead to genital herpes. HSV-2 is a sexually transmitted infection that causes genital herpes.
How Do antivirals work with viral STIS?
Antivirals can: Block receptors so viruses can't bind to and enter healthy cells. Boost the immune system, helping it fight off a viral infection. Lower the viral load (amount of active virus) in the body.
Before Taking This Medicine
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to acyclovir or valacyclovir (Valtrex). You should not take acyclovir buccal tablets (Sitavig...
How Should I Take Acyclovir?
Take acyclovir exactly as it was prescribed for you. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not take this medicine in larger or small...
What Happens If I Miss A Dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to...
What Happens If I Overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.Overdose symptoms may include agitation, seizure (convulsions), or...
What Should I Avoid While Taking Acyclovir?
Avoid brushing your teeth, chewing gum, or wearing an upper denture while you have a buccal tablet in your mouth. You may rinse your mouth gently....
What Other Drugs Will Affect Acyclovir?
Acyclovir can harm your kidneys. This effect is increased when you also use certain other medicines, including: probenecid, antivirals, chemotherap...
How to take acyclovir?
Take acyclovir exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Start taking acyclovir as soon as possible after the first appearance of symptoms (such as tingling, burning, blisters).
What is the difference between Sitavig and Acyclovir?
Acyclovir is used to treat infections caused by herpes viruses, such as genital herpes, cold sores, shingles, and chickenpox. Sitavig (acyclovir tablet, delayed release) is only for use in treating cold sores on the lips. Sitavig will not treat genital herpes.
How to prevent herpes from forming in mouth?
Avoid brushing your teeth, chewing gum, or wearing an upper denture while you have a buccal tablet in your mouth. You may rinse your mouth gently. Drink plenty of liquids to prevent dry mouth. Herpes infections are contagious and you can infect other people, even while you are being treated with acyclovir.
How to dissolve a buccal tablet?
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you do not understand these instructions. Do not crush, chew, suck on, or swallow a buccal tablet. Place the flat side of the tablet against your upper gum, on the same side of the mouth as your cold sore. Allow the tablet to dissolve in your mouth throughout the day.
How to avoid herpes?
Avoid letting infected areas come into contact with other people. Avoid touching an infected area and then touching your eyes. Wash your hands frequently to prevent passing the infection to others. Taking acyclovir will not prevent you from passing genital herpes to your sexual partner.
What are the side effects of acyclovir?
Common acyclovir side effects may include: mild skin pain; rash, itching; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; headache; or.
Can acyclovir cause nausea?
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; headache; or. mouth pain while using an acyclovir buccal tablet. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Diagnostic Considerations
Clinical diagnosis of genital herpes can be difficult because the self-limited, recurrent, painful, and vesicular or ulcerative lesions classically associated with HSV are absent in many infected persons at the time of clinical evaluation.
Genital Herpes Management
Antiviral medication offers clinical benefits to symptomatic patients and is the mainstay of management. The goals for use of antiviral medications to treat genital herpes infection are to treat or prevent symptomatic genital herpes recurrences and improve quality of life and suppress the virus to prevent transmission to sexual partners.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a rare manifestation of disseminated HSV infection, often reported among pregnant women who acquire HSV during pregnancy ( 484 ). Pregnant women in any trimester can present with fever and hepatitis (markedly elevated transaminases) but might not have any genital or skin lesions.
Prevention
Consistent and correct condom use has been reported in multiple studies to decrease, but not eliminate, the risk for HSV-2 transmission from men to women ( 486 – 488 ). Condoms are less effective for preventing transmission from women to men ( 489 ).
Counseling
Counseling of persons with genital herpes and their sex partners is crucial for management. The goals of counseling include helping patients cope with the infection and preventing sexual and perinatal transmission.
Management of Sex Partners
The sex partners of persons who have symptomatic genital herpes can benefit from evaluation and counseling. Symptomatic sex partners should be evaluated and treated in the same manner as patients who have symptomatic genital herpes.
Special Considerations
Allergic and other adverse reactions to oral acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir are rare. Desensitization to acyclovir has been described ( 500 ).
What is acyclovir used for?
Acyclovir. An updated review of its antiviral activity, pharmacokinetic properties and therapeutic efficacy. Acyclovir (aciclovir) is a nucleoside antiviral drug with antiviral activity in vitro against members of the herpes group of DNA viruses. As an established treatment of herpes simplex infection, intravenous, ...
Is acyclovir a nucleoside?
Acyclovir (aciclovir) is a nucleoside antiviral drug with antiviral activity in vitro against members of the herpes group of DNA viruses. As an established treatment of herpes simplex infection, intravenous, oral and to a lesser extent topical formulations of acyclovir provide significant therapeutic benefit in genital herpes simplex ...
Does acyclovir shorten the course of herpes?
In immunocompromised patients, intravenous, oral and topical acyclovir shorten the clinical course of herpes simplex infections while prophylaxis with oral or intravenous dosage forms suppresses reactivation of infection during the period of drug administration.
Is acyclovir a biopsy?
Intravenous acyclovir is the treatment of choice in biopsy-proven herpes simplex encephalitis in adults, and has also been successful in the treatment of disseminated herpes simplex in pregnancy and herpes neonatorium.
Is acyclovir a prophylactic or therapeutic?
Thus, despite an inability to eradicate latent virus, acyclovir administered in therapeutic or prophylactic fashion is now the standard antiviral therapy in several manifestations of herpes simplex virus infection, and indeed represents a major advance in this regard.
What STDs are treated with antibiotics?
It depends on the type of STD a person gets. Bacterial STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and chancroid are treated with antibiotics. Some viral STDs like genital herpes and hepatitis B are treated with antivirals, while HIV is treated with antiretrovirals.
What are the STDs that are curable?
Bacterial STD Treatment. STDs caused by bacterial infections include syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. These diseases are curable when treated with the right antibiotics. The doctor will determine the course of treatment based on local and current rates of antibiotic resistance. 1 .
How to remove HPV genital warts?
HPV: Procedures to remove HPV genital warts include cryotherapy (freezing), electrocautery (burning), injection of interferon into warts, laser treatment, and surgery. Hepatitis: In some cases, major liver damage can occur from hepatitis infections and a liver transplant may be needed.
How to treat a herpes outbreak?
Herpes: Apply a cold compress to the area during an outbreak, do not touch or scratch sores, keep sores clean, and reduce stress to prevent reoccurrences. Hepatitis B: Take care of your liver by avoiding alcohol and being careful about the use of medications that can harm the liver, such as acetaminophen.
What is the best treatment for trichomoniasis?
Over-the-counter anti-itch creams designed for genital use can ease symptoms of trichomoniasis and scabies, while over-the-counter shampoo containing permethrin can treat pubic lice. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can reduce pain and inflammation associated with scabies.
How long after syphilis treatment can you have sex?
If you are being treated for chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, or chancroid, doctors will generally advise you to wait one week after completing treatment before having sex. With syphilis, you should not have sex until a follow-up blood test confirms that the infection has cleared. 11.
What to do if you have a viral STD?
If you have a viral STD, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any herbal medicines or nutritional supplements to ensure doing so is safe given any other medications you may be taking.
What is an antiviral?
Antiviral medication in sexually transmitted diseases. Part I: HSV, HPV. Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in the world and important cause of morbidity and mortality. Especially STDs of viral etiology are difficult to cure. In many cases the antiviral therapy can relieve ...
What is the oldest antiviral drug?
During the past decades, considerable progress has been made in the development of antiviral drugs. One of the oldest antiviral medications is acyclovir (ACV). It is approved to treat initial and recurrent genital herpes and as a suppressive therapy in severe recurrent genital infections as well.
Is STD a disease?
Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in the world and important cause of morbidity and mortality. Especially STDs of viral etiology are difficult to cure. In many cases the antiviral therapy can relieve the symptoms but not eliminate the virus. During the past decades, considerable progress has been ...
Can antiviral therapy eliminate the virus?
In many cases the antiviral therapy can relieve the symptoms but not eliminate the virus. During …. Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in the world and important cause of morbidity and mortality. Especially STDs of viral etiology are difficult to cure.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea and chlamydia can occur in tandem, in which event the doctor might prescribe a regimen of ceftriaxone plus doxycycline or azithromycin.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
cefotetan or cefoxitin plus doxycycline, clindamycin plus gentamicin, ofloxacin plus metronidazole
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
imiquimod, podophyllin, podofilox, fluorouracil (5-FU), trichloroacetic acid (TCA), interferon
Syphilis
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
How It Works
- Acyclovir is an antiviral drug that has activity against herpes simplex virus types 1 (HSV-1), 2 (HSV-2), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV).
- Acyclovir acts as a specific inhibitor of herpesvirus DNA polymerase. This is a key enzyme in the lytic phase of infection by herpesviruses to ensure the replication of the virus. Activity against...
- Acyclovir is an antiviral drug that has activity against herpes simplex virus types 1 (HSV-1), 2 (HSV-2), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV).
- Acyclovir acts as a specific inhibitor of herpesvirus DNA polymerase. This is a key enzyme in the lytic phase of infection by herpesviruses to ensure the replication of the virus. Activity against...
- Acyclovir belongs to the class of medicines called antivirals.
Upsides
- Acyclovir may be used in the treatment of herpes zoster virus (shingles). Acyclovir does not completely rid the body of the herpes zoster virus.
- Acyclovir may be used to treat initial and recurrent episodes of genital herpes. Acyclovir does not cure genital herpes or completely rid the body of the herpes virus.
- Acyclovir may be used in the treatment of varicella (chickenpox).
- Acyclovir may be used in the treatment of herpes zoster virus (shingles). Acyclovir does not completely rid the body of the herpes zoster virus.
- Acyclovir may be used to treat initial and recurrent episodes of genital herpes. Acyclovir does not cure genital herpes or completely rid the body of the herpes virus.
- Acyclovir may be used in the treatment of varicella (chickenpox).
- Inhibits herpes simplex virus types 1 (HSV-1), 2 (HSV-2), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV).
Downsides
- If you are between the ages of 18 and 60, take no other medication or have no other medical conditions, side effects you are more likely to experience include: 1. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and a general unwell feeling. Buccal tablets may cause mouth pain. Rarely, acyclovir may affect your kidneys or cause a bleeding disorder. 2. May not be suitable for some people, in…
Bottom Line
- Acyclovir is an antiviral drug that treats infections caused by HSV-1, HSV-2, and varicella-zoster viruses such as chickenpox, genital herpes, and shingles. It is most effective when started within 48 hours of symptom onset.
Tips
- Acyclovir treatment is best started within 72 hours of symptom onset (ie, rash, blisters, tingling, burning) and most effective if started within 48 hours of symptom onset.
- Take acyclovir for the exact time prescribed by your doctor, even if your symptoms improve. Although acyclovir treats viruses, it is not effective against the flu or the common cold.
- Shake acyclovir oral suspension well before using. Use a proper dosing syringe or medicine c…
- Acyclovir treatment is best started within 72 hours of symptom onset (ie, rash, blisters, tingling, burning) and most effective if started within 48 hours of symptom onset.
- Take acyclovir for the exact time prescribed by your doctor, even if your symptoms improve. Although acyclovir treats viruses, it is not effective against the flu or the common cold.
- Shake acyclovir oral suspension well before using. Use a proper dosing syringe or medicine cup to correctly measure dosage, not a kitchen teaspoon.
- If you have been prescribed buccal tablets to treat a cold sore, place the flat side of the buccal tablet against your upper gum, behind your lip, and in front of your canine tooth on the same side...
Response and Effectiveness
- May take up to two hours to reach peak plasma concentrations after oral acyclovir administration.
- May take up to three days for symptom reduction; however, acyclovir should be taken until the course prescribed is completed. Acyclovir works best when started within 48 hours of symptom onset.
- May take up to two hours to reach peak plasma concentrations after oral acyclovir administration.
- May take up to three days for symptom reduction; however, acyclovir should be taken until the course prescribed is completed. Acyclovir works best when started within 48 hours of symptom onset.
- In herpes zoster (shingles) infections, acyclovir shortened the time it took lesions to scab over and decreased the time needed for the rash to heal and become pain-free. Adults older than 50 gaine...
- In varicella infections (chickenpox), acyclovir shortened the time to 50% healing, reduced the number of lesions and vesicles, and decreased rates of fever and tiredness by day 2.
Interactions
- Medicines that interact with acyclovir may either decrease its effect, affect how long it works for, increase side effects, or have less of an effect when taken with acyclovir. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of the medications; however, sometimes it does. Speak to your doctor about how drug interactions should be mana…
Further Information
- Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use acyclovir only for the indication prescribed. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Copyright 1996-2022 Drugs.com. Revision date: May 25, 2022. Medical Disclaimer