What are Shingles (Herpes Zoster)?
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus - the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you have chickenpox, the virus stays in your body. It may not cause problems for many years. As you get older, the virus may reappear as shingles. Unlike chickenpox, you can't catch shingles from someone who has it.
The earliest symptoms of herpes zoster, which include headache, fever, and malaise, are nonspecific, and may result in an incorrect diagnosis. These symptoms are commonly followed by sensations of burning pain, itching, hyperesthesia (oversensitivity), or paresthesia ("pins and needles": tingling, pricking, or numbness). The pain may be mild to extreme in the affected dermatome, with sensations that are often described as stinging, tingling, aching, numbing or throbbing, and can be interspersed with quick stabs of agonizing pain.
What are Genital Herpes?
Genital Herpes is a common infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). It causes painful blisters on the genitals and the surrounding areas. As genital herpes can be passed to others through intimate sexual contact, it is often referred to as a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
You are most likely to get herpes if you touch the skin of someone who has herpes sores, blisters, or a rash. However, the herpes virus can still be spread even when no sores or other symptoms are present. Sometimes, the person does not even know they are infected.
What are Cold Sores?
Cold sores (Herpes labialis, or orolabial herpes) are small blisters that develop on the lips or around the mouth due to infection of the lip by herpes simplex virus (HSV-1).
They are caused by the herpes simplex virus and usually clear up without treatment within 7-10 days. Cold sores often start with a tingling, itching or burning sensation around your mouth. An outbreak typically causes small blisters or fluid-filled sores to appear, on or around the mouth, most commonly on the edges of your lower lip. The sores typically heal within 2-3 weeks, but the herpes virus remains dormant in the facial nerves, following orofacial infection, periodically reactivating (in symptomatic people) to create sores in the same area of the mouth or face at the site of the original infection.
Generic Famvir (Virovir Tablets) – Product Information
Generic Famvir Tablets (Virovir) is used for the treatment of herpes zoster (shingles), acute treatment of first episode and recurrences of genital herpes infections, and for the suppression of recurrent genital herpes. Generic Famvir is also used for the treatment of recurrent herpes labialis (cold sores). Generic Famvir (Virovir Tablets) is also used to treat immunocompromised patients with herpes zoster or herpes simplex infections.
The active ingredient present in Generic Famvir is Famciclovir.
Famciclovir is available as Famvir, Virovir, and other generic brands.
Generic Famvir (Virovir Tablets) - Contraindications
Generic Famvir (Virovir Tablets) is contraindicated in patients with
- Known hypersensitivity to Famciclovir or other constituents of Generic Famvir.
- Hypersensitivity to Penciclovir, the active metabolite of Famciclovir.
Generic Famvir (Virovir Tablets) - Dosage
Herpes Zoster Infections In Immunocompetent Adults
250 mg three times a day or 500 mg twice a day or 750 mg once a day for seven days for the treatment of the acute phase of herpes zoster. 500 mg three times a day for seven days for the treatment of ophthalmic zoster. Treatment yields better results if initiated as soon as possible after rash onset. For those at risk of Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), 250-500 mg three times a day for seven days, taken during the acute phase of the disease, to decrease the duration and incidence of PHN.
Herpes Zoster Infections In Immunocompromised Adults
500 mg three times daily for ten days. Initiation of treatment is recommended as soon as possible after rash onset.
Herpes Simplex Infections In Immunocompetent Adults
First episode of genital herpes
250 mg three times daily for five days. Initiation of treatment is recommended as soon as possible after onset of lesions.
Recurrent genital herpes
1000 mg twice daily for one day or 125 mg twice daily for five days. Initiation of treatment is recommended during the prodromal period or as soon as possible after onset of lesions.
Recurrent Herpes Labialis (Cold Sores)
1500 mg as a single dose for one day. Initiation of treatment is recommended at the earliest sign or symptom of a cold sore (e.g. tingling, itching or burning)
Herpes Simplex Infections In Immunocompromised Adults
500 mg twice daily for seven days. Initiation of treatment is recommended as soon as possible after rash onset.
Suppression Of Recurrent Genital Herpes Infections
250 mg twice daily. The length of treatment depends on the severity of the disease. Therapy should be re-evaluated after 12 months in order to observe possible changes in the natural history of the disease. A dose of 500 mg twice a day has been shown to be efficacious in HIV patients.
Side Effects of Generic Famvir Tablets
The most common side effects reported in patients treated with Generic Famvir include Headache,Dizziness,Vomiting, nausea, Abnormal liver function tests, Rash, pruritus. Uncommon side effects include Confusion (predominantly in the elderly), Somnolence (predominantly in the elderly), Angioedema (e.g. face edema, eyelid edema, periorbital edema, pharyngeal edema) and urticaria. Rare side effects include Thrombocytopenia, Hallucinations and Cholestatic jaundice. Cases of serious skin reactions such as erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis have been reported from post-marketing experience with Famvir Tablets (Famciclovir) via spontaneous case reports.
- More Details
For more details please read the Prescription Information or watch the presentation below:
