Antiviral therapy for recurrent herpes simplex reconsidered

Dermatology : International Journal for Clinical and Investigative Dermatology
R WolfV Ruocco

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present our long-time concern about the safety of using antiherpetic drugs over extended periods of time as a preventive therapy for recurrent herpetic attacks. It has been shown that when herpes simplex virus (HSV) is inactivated and has thus lost its cytolytic activity by exposure to certain chemicals or ultraviolet irradiation, it can cause neoplastic changes in mammalian cells. Therefore, substances that inhibit (but not absolutely eliminate) HSV replication for prolonged periods of time might be of potential danger for the development of cancer. It becomes incumbent upon us to ask ourselves whether the prolonged inhibitory effect of prophylactic antiviral drugs might not carry with it the same risks as has been proposed for other substances known to inhibit viral replication.

Citations

Apr 20, 2002·Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases·Rataporn Ungpakorn
Jul 17, 2003·American Journal of Clinical Dermatology·Tetsuya KogaMasutaka Furue

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