Herpes simplex virus infection foscarnet

Foscarnet is an inorganic pyrophosphate analogue which causes selective inhibition of viral DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase. Topical foscarnet cream has appeared to be a safe and effective treatment for aciclovir-unresponsive mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infection in AIDS patients. 

Foscarnet is used for the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis and mucocutaneous acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. It may also be beneficial in other types of CMV or HSV infections (Wagstaff and Bryson, 1994). 

Cidofovir is an acyclic nucleotide analogue of the monophosphate of cytosine. When phosphoiylated by host cellular enzymes, the active compound cidofovir diphosphate has broad activity against the herpes viruses, including CMV, HSV 1 and 2, VZV, Epstein-Barr virus, and the BK polyomavirus. Cidofovir has primarily been used in the treatment of CMV retinitis in patients who have failed treatment with ganciclovir or foscarnet and in acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex infections. More recently, there is also a growing experience with the use of this medication in kidney transplant patients who have BK virus-associated nephropathy [31], although this interest has been dampened by significant toxicity and only modest clinical activity [32]... 

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