Inclusion Criteria
Patients must have:
- Acute localized herpes zoster or rash present less than 72 hours, verified by clinical diagnosis.
- Immunocompromised condition primarily as a result of documented HIV infection, malignancy, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, solid organ or bone marrow transplant, or chronic immunosuppressive therapy.
- Life expectancy of at least 6 months.
- Ability to cooperate with the requirements of the study.
Exclusion Criteria
Co-existing Condition:
Patients with the following symptoms or conditions are excluded:
- Evidence of cutaneous or visceral dissemination (more than 20 discrete lesions outside adjacent dermatomes).
- Acute, life-threatening condition.
- Significant malabsorption syndrome or other gastrointestinal dysfunction that may severely reduce drug absorption.
- Intolerance of oral medication.
Concurrent Medication:
Excluded:
- Tricyclic antidepressants or anti-epileptics.
- Topical applications to the zoster lesions that would obscure evaluation.
- Fluorouracil and flucytosine.
- Systemic therapy with agents with antiherpetic activity (from 2 weeks prior to first dose to day 28 of study).
- Probenecid or other drugs likely to affect elimination of study drugs (from 2 days prior to first dose to day 14 of the study).
- Capsaicin (Zostrix).
- Warfarin (Coumadin) during 14 days of treatment.
Patients with the following prior conditions are excluded:
History of intolerance, hypersensitivity, or severe drug reaction to acyclovir.
Prior Medication:
Excluded:
- Systemic therapy with agents with antiherpetic activity (including interferon) within the past 2 weeks.
- Probenecid or other drugs likely to affect the elimination of 882C87 or acyclovir within the past 48 hours.
- Drugs likely to interact with 882C87 (e.g., fluorouracil or flucytosine) within the past 7 days.
- Zoster immune globulin or zoster immune plasma within the previous month. History of alcohol or drug abuse within the previous 6 months or current methadone therapy.
Purpose
