Abstract

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY OF ANTIVIRAL AGENTS IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN

Gian Maria Pacifici

ABSTRACT

The antiviral agents used in paediatric patients are aciclovir, valaciclovir, ganciclovir, valganciclovir, and foscarnet sodium. Valaciclovir is a prodrug and the active compound is aciclovir and valganciclovir is a prodrug and the active compound is ganciclovir. The treatment of viral infection has been reviewed for aciclovir, ganciclovir, valaciclovir, and valganciclovir. The pharmacokinetics of aciclovir have been studied in infants and the mean elimination half-life of aciclovir ranges from about 2.5 to 3.3 hours. Aciclovir penetrates into the cerebrospinal fluid, treats the meningitis or encephalitis caused by herpes simplex virus and migrates into the breast-milk in significant amounts. The pharmacokinetics of valaciclovir have been studied in infants and children and the mean elimination half-life of aciclovir ranges from 1.3 to 2.0 hours. Pregnant women infected by cytomegalovirus are successfully treated with valaciclovir, valaciclovir prevents the transmission-rate of cytomegalovirus from the mother to the infant, and valaciclovir does not migrate into the breast-milk. The pharmacokinetics of ganciclovir have been studied in infants and the median elimination half-life of ganciclovir ranges from 2.2 to about 5 hours. The pharmacokinetics of valganciclovir have been studied in infants and the elimination mean half-life of ganciclovir is about 2.5 hours. The aim of this study is to review the treatment of viral infection with aciclovir, valaciclovir, ganciclovir and vanciclovir, the pharmacokinetics of aciclovir, valaciclovir, ganciclovir, and valganciclovir have been studied, aciclovir penetrates into the cerebrospinal fluid and treats the viral meningitis or encephalitis, aciclovir migrates into the breast-milk in significant amounts and valaciclovir does not migrate into the breast-milk.

Keywords: aciclovir, breast-milk, cerebrospinal-fluid, efficacy-safety, foscarnet sodium, ganciclovir, meningitis, pharmacokinetics, placenta, treatment, valaciclovir, valganciclovir.