Valaciclovir is a antiviral medication used to treat outbreaks of herpes simplex or herpes zoster.
It is used for the treatment of HSV and VZV infections, including:
- Oral and genital herpes simplex (treatment and prevention)
- Reduction of HSV transmission from people with recurrent infection to uninfected individuals
- Herpes zoster (shingles): the typical dosage for treatment of herpes is 1,000mg orally three times a day for seven consecutive days
- Prevention of cytomegalovirus following organ transplantation
- Prevention of herpesviruses in immunocompromised people (such as those undergoing cancer chemotherapy)
- Chickenpox in children (ages 2 to 18)
It has shown promise as a treatment for infectious mononucleosis and is preemptively administered in suspected cases of herpes B virus exposure.
