| In severe cases an antiviral drug called acyclovir may be prescribed early on in the infection. |
| Valacyclovir, a prodrug that metabolizes to acyclovir, has better bioavailability and requires less frequent dosing than acyclovir. |
| When a pregnant woman does come down with chickenpox, she can be treated with the oral antiviral drug acyclovir to help ease symptoms. |
| In patients older than 50 years, valacyclovir decreases the duration of acute pain and post-herpetic neuralgia compared with acyclovir. |
| There is some benefit from the anti viral drug acyclovir and aggressive anti-pain management, but prevention would be better. |
| Bladder infections caused by the herpes virus are usually treated with antiviral drugs such as acyclovir. |
