A Review of Famciclovir in the Management ofGenital Herpes

[摘要] The frequent occurrence of genital herpes continues to be a serious clinical problem. Although notlife threatening, the physical symptoms of the disease, and the ensuing psychosocial complications,can be overwhelming to patients. The life cycle of the herpes simplex virus is complex, comprisingmultiple stages. Following infection, the virus establishes life-long latency in its host and can reactivateat any time as a recurrent infection. Successful management of genital herpes simplex infectionsinvolves patient education and psychological support, as well as antiviral agents. The antiviralagent famciclovir has been shown to shorten the course and decrease the severity of episodes ofrecurrent genital herpes. In addition, famciclovir has been shown to be effective in suppressingrecurrent genital herpes. A review of the clinical experience with famciclovir in the treatment ofgenital herpes is presented.

[学科分类] 妇产科学