BY MOUTH, HERPES SIMPLEX, TREATMENT, 200 MG (400 MG IN THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED OR IF ABSORPTION IMPAIRED) 5 TIMES DAILY, USUALLY FOR 5 DAYS (LONGER IF NEW LESIONS APPEAR DURING TREATMENT OR IF HEALING INCOMPLETE; INCREASE DOSE TO 800 MG 5 TIMES DAILY FOR GENITAL HERPES IN THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED); CHILD UNDER 2 YEARS, HALF ADULT DOSE, OVER 2 YEARS, ADULT DOSE
HERPES SIMPLEX, PREVENTION OF RECURRENCE, 200 MG 4 TIMES DAILY OR 400 MG TWICE DAILY POSSIBLY REDUCED TO 200 MG 2 OR 3 TIMES DAILY AND INTERRUPTED EVERY 6 - 12 MONTHS
HERPES SIMPLEX, PROPHYLAXIS IN THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, 200 - 400 MG 4 TIMES DAILY; CHILD UNDER 2 YEARS, HALF ADULT DOSE, OVER 2 YEARS, ADULT DOSE
VARICELLA AND HERPES ZOSTER, TREATMENT, 800 MG 5 TIMES DAILY FOR 7 DAYS; CHILD, VARICELLA, 20 MG/KG (MAX. 800 MG) 4 TIMES DAILY FOR 5 DAYS OR UNDER 2 YEARS 200 MG 4 TIMES DAILY, 2 - 5 YEARS 400 MG 4 TIMES DAILY, OVER 6 YEARS 800 MG 4 TIMES DAILY
ATTENUATION OF CHICKENPOX (IF VARICELLA-ZOSTER IMMUNOGLOBULIN NOT INDICATED) [UNLICENSED USE], ADULT AND CHILD 40 MG/KG DAILY IN 4 DIVIDED DOSES FOR 7 DAYS STARTING 1 WEEK AFTER EXPOSURE
BY INTRAVENOUS INFUSION, TREATMENT OF HERPES SIMPLEX IN THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, SEVERE INITIAL GENITAL HERPES, AND VARICELLA-ZOSTER, 5 MG/KG EVERY 8 HOURS USUALLY FOR 5 DAYS, DOUBLED TO 10 MG/KG EVERY 8 HOURS IN VARICELLA-ZOSTER IN THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED AND IN SIMPLEX ENCEPHALITIS (USUALLY GIVEN FOR AT LEAST 10 DAYS IN ENCEPHALITIS, POSSIBLY FOR 14 - 21 DAYS); PROPHYLAXIS OF HERPES SIMPLEX IN THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, 5 MG/KG EVERY 8 HOURS
NOTE TO AVOID EXCESSIVE DOSAGE IN OBESE PATIENTS, PARENTERAL DOSE SHOULD BE CALCULATED ON THE BASIS OF IDEAL WEIGHT FOR HEIGHT
NEONATE AND INFANT UP TO 3 MONTHS, WITH DISSEMINATED HERPES SIMPLEX, 20 MG/KG EVERY 8 HOURS FOR 14 DAYS (21 DAYS IF CNS INVOLVEMENT); VARICELLA-ZOSTER [UNLICENSED USE] 10 - 20 MG/KG EVERY 8 HOURS FOR AT LEAST 7 DAYS; CHILD 3 MONTHS - 12 YEARS, HERPES SIMPLEX OR VARICELLA-ZOSTER, 250 MG/M2 EVERY 8 HOURS USUALLY FOR 5 DAYS, DOUBLED TO 500 MG/M2 EVERY 8 HOURS FOR VARICELLA - ZOSTER IN THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED AND IN SIMPLEX ENCEPHALITIS (USUALLY GIVEN FOR AT LEAST 10 DAYS IN ENCEPHALITIS, POSSIBLY FOR 14 - 21 DAYS)
SKIN LESIONS : APPLY TO LESIONS EVERY 4 HOURS (5 TIMES DAILY) FOR 5 - 10 DAYS, STARTING AT FIRST SIGN OF ATTACK
EYE LESIONS : APPLY 5 TIMES DAILY (CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST 3 DAYS AFTER COMPLETE HEALING)