Varicella is an ubiquitous and contagious disease of childhood.It is usually a benign disease,but serious forms or lethal complications can occur,particularly in adults,neonates,pregnant or immunocompromised patients.Antiviral treatment,and specially acyclovir,can be efficient when administered within the first 24 hours of rash onset.Other treatments like valacyclovir,famciclovir and brivudine are discussed.The use of acyclovir for the prophylaxis of chickenpox is not yet recommended despite encouraging results.In immunocompromised patients,atypical or prolonged presentations could be due to viral resistance to acyclovir.After phenotypic and genotypic virological study,foscarnet or cidofovir could be discussed as an alternative treatment.
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