[Antiviral therapy of immunocompromised patients]

Abstract

For immunocompromised patients virus infections represent a definite risk, particularly infections with measles virus and viruses of the herpes group (primary infections or reactivations). Vidarabine, acyclovir and bromovinyldeoxyuridine are therapeutically active against varicella, zoster, and herpes simplex, provided they are administered early in the course of disease. For zoster at least, the efficacy of interferon has been documented in controlled studies. No convincing therapy is so far available for the severe cytomegalovirus infections. Interferons obtained with DNA recombinant techniques are of significant promise in the near future.