Efficacy of oral treatment with acyclovir and co-trimoxazole in first episode genital herpes. Issue 1 (February 1986)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kinghorn, G R; Abeywickreme, I; Jeavons, M; Rowland, M; Barton, I; Al-Hasani, G; Potter, C W; Hickmott, E
• Is Part Of: Sexually transmitted infections. Volume 62:Issue 1(1986)
• Page Start: 33
• Page End: 37
• Publication Date: 1986-02
• Subjects: Sexually transmitted diseases -- Periodicals; HIV infections -- Periodicals; 616.951005
• DOI: 10.1136/sti.62.1.33
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-4973

Abstract

Abstract : Forty patients presenting with first episode genital herpes were randomly allocated to seven day treatment with oral acyclovir alone, placebo alone, oral acyclovir plus co-trimoxazole, or placebo plus co-trimoxazole. Patients receiving acyclovir had significantly shorter periods of viral shedding (p less than 0.001), pain (p = 0.03), and times to lesion healing (p less than 0.05). Averaged over all patients there was no evidence that co-trimoxazole affected any of the variables, though in women cotrimoxazole was associated with a shorter time to lesion healing (p less than 0.01). Furthermore, the combination treatment gave significantly shorter times to lesion healing than acyclovir alone, placebo alone, or placebo and co-trimoxazole (p = 0.01) and good trends elsewhere (external lesions and duration of pain). Neither drug was associated with any adverse events or toxicity or influenced the subsequent recurrence rate.