Is oral acyclovir effective for treatment of primary herpetic infection?

July 11, 2005

July 14, 2005

Helen Slee, medical student (MRI)

Prof Mackway Jones, MRI

In [an adult with acute primary oropharyngeal herpetic infection] is [oral acyclovir better than conservative treatment] at reducing pain and length of symptoms]?

A seven year old child presents with primary oropharyngeal infection. The SHO wonders if if oral aciclovir will be of use or if conservative treatment should be prescribed.

Medline 1966 to June Week 1 2005
Embase 1980 to 2005 Week 24
Cinahl Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature 1982 to June Week 1 2005
The Cochrane Library Issue 2 2005

{Exp PHARYNGITIS/ OR exp LARYNGITIS/ OR exp TONSILLITIS/ OR exp Peritonsillar Abscess/ OR pharyngitis.af. OR laryngitis.af. OR tonsillitis.af. OR (peritonsillar adj5 abscess).af. OR quinsy.af. OR (throat adj5 infection$) OR (sore adj5 throat$) OR exp Infectious Mononucleosis/ OR (infectious adj5 mononucleosis).af. OR (glandular adj5 fever).af.}AND {exp ACYCLOVIR/ OR acyclovir.mp. OR acyclovir.mp.}AND {herpes.mp. OR exp Herpes Simplex/ OR HSV.mp.} AND {conservative treatment.mp. OR conserve$ adj5 treat$}.mp. OR conservative management.mp. OR (conserve$ adj5 manage$).mp.} limit to humans and English language.

Medline-no papers found
Embase-1 irrelevant paper found
Cinahl-no papers found
Cochrane-no papers found

No trials have been performed to assess which treatment is better.

No evidence exists to answer my question, local policy should be followed.