Topical therapy of recurrent herpes - acyclovir versus tromantidine

Fifty men with recurrent genital herpes were treated with either acyclovir 5% cream or tromantidine 1 % ointment applied topically. Acyclovir cream was applied 5 times and tromantidine cream 4 times daily for 5 days. At least one pre-treatment episode was observed by one of the authors. Self assessment charts were provided to the patients to record prodromal symptoms and healing time. For comparison at least 3 post treatment episodes were observed and com-pared with mean healing time of 3 pre-treatment episodes. Both acyclovir cream and tromantidine ointment significantly reduced the duration of prodrome, hastened healing and so reduced mean healing time.