Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Background: Herpes zoster (HZ), or shingles, is a clinical syndrome resulting from the reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus (VZV) within the sensory ganglia, manifesting as a unilateral vesicular skin eruption involving one to three dermatomes. The present study was conducted to compare famciclovir and valacyclovir in cases of herpes zoster. Materials & Methods: 56 patients of herpes zoster of both genders were divided into 2 groups of 28 each. Group I patients were prescribed famciclovir 500 mg thrice daily and group II patients were prescribedvalacyclovir 1000 mg thrice daily.Patients were recalled regularly and the lesions were recorded in relation to site and pain score (VAS). Results: Group I had 14 males and 14 females and group II had 12 males and 16 females. Site involved was cervical in 28% in group I and 25% in group II, thoracic 48% in group I and 51% in group II, lumbar13% in group I and 15% in group II and trigeminal11% in group I and 9% in group II. The difference was non- significant (P> 0.05). On 3rd day, mean VAS in group I was 6.20 and in group II was 6.80, on 7th day, in group I was 4.90 and in group II was 4.51, on 14th day, in group I was 2.46 and in group II was 2.02 and in 25th day, in group I was 1.72 and in group II was 1.23 The difference was non- significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: Valacyclovir was efficient than famciclovir in management of patients with herpes zoster.