1 May 2026Oral drugs
Aciclovir oral
Oral aciclovir guidance for herpes and zoster, including treatment, prophylaxis, and route-specific dosing.
Prescription under medical supervision
This guide page is for structured reference only and does not replace a clinician, pharmacist, or emergency review. Dose choice, route choice, interactions, and safety decisions still need professional judgment.
Therapeutic action
Antiviral active against herpes simplex virus and varicella zoster virus.
Indications
- Treatment of recurrent or extensive oral and oesophageal herpes in immunocompromised patients.
- Treatment of herpetic kerato-uveitis.
- Treatment of genital herpes.
- Secondary prophylaxis of herpes in patients with frequent and/or severe recurrences.
- Treatment of severe forms of zoster: necrotic or extensive forms, facial or ophthalmic zoster.
Forms and strengths
- 200 mg and 800 mg tablets.
- Also comes in 40 mg/ml oral suspension.
Dose and duration
Treatment of recurrent or extensive oral and oesophageal herpes in immunocompromised patients; treatment of herpetic kerato-uveitis
- Child under 2 years: 200 mg 5 times daily for 7 days.
- Child 2 years and over and adult: 400 mg 5 times daily for 7 days.
Treatment of genital herpes
- Child 2 years and over and adult: 400 mg 3 times daily for 7 days.
- In immunocompromised patients, continue treatment until clinical resolution.
Secondary prophylaxis of herpes in patients with frequent and/or severe recurrences
- Child under 2 years: 200 mg 2 times daily.
- Child 2 years and over and adult: 400 mg 2 times daily.
Treatment of severe forms of zoster
- Adult: 800 mg 5 times daily for 7 days.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Do not administer to patients with hypersensitivity to aciclovir.
- May cause headache, skin rash, allergic reactions, gastrointestinal disturbances, and raised transaminases.
- May cause neurologic disorders in patients with renal impairment and elderly patients; rarely, haematological disorders.
- Reduce dosage in patients with renal impairment.
- Drink a lot of liquid during treatment.
- Pregnancy: no contra-indication.
- Breast-feeding: no contra-indication.
Source
MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)
This page reproduces the structured reference information for this batch while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections.
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