Abstract
To the Editor: The important article by Balfour et al. offers convincing evidence of the value of acyclovir in the management of immunosuppressed patients with herpes zoster (June 16 issue).1 This is a serious and frequently fatal illness. On the other hand, it must not be forgotten that in the usual outpatient practice, where most examples of zoster are encountered, it is not a life-threatening illness. Its importance lies in the discomfort it produces and the possibility of the development of postzoster neuralgia. Therefore, the goals of therapy in this group of patients are different from those considered by Balfour.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 1254-1255 |
Number of pages | 2 |
Journal | New England Journal of Medicine |
Volume | 309 |
Issue number | 20 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 17 1983 |