The drugs of choice for treatment of viral infections (other than HIV) and their dosages are listed in Tables 1-6 on the pages that follow. Some of the indications and dosages recommended here have not been approved by the FDA. Vaccines used for the prevention of viral infections are discussed elsewhere.

The drugs of choice for treatment of non-HIV viral infections and their dosages are listed in Tables 1-6 on the pages that follow. Some of the indications and dosages recommended here have not been approved by the FDA. Vaccines used for the prevention of viral infections are discussed in another issue of Treatment Guidelines.

The drugs of choice for treatment of non-HIV viral infections with their dosages and cost are listed in Tables 1-6. Some of the indications and dosages recommended here have not been approved by the FDA. Vaccines used in the prevention of viral infections are discussed in the "Adult Immunization" issue of Treatment Guidelines.

The drugs of choice for non-HIV viral infections with their dosages and cost are listed in the tables that begin on page 24. Some of the indications and dosages recommended here have not been approved by the FDA.

The choice of drugs for treatment of pneumonia depends on the most likely pathogens causing the infection and local antimicrobial resistance patterns. Factors such as severity of illness, presence of co-morbid conditions and whether the infection is community or hospital-acquired also need to be considered.

The single sentence on vaccination site care in our recent article on Smallpox Vaccination (Vol. 45, page 2) needs clarification. In the past, the vaccination site was generally left uncovered, but current plans for Phase I call for it to be covered with both gauze to absorb liquid and a semipermeable membrane such as an Opsite dressing to prevent spread of the virus. This correction has been made in the web version of the issue.

Because of concerns about the possibility of bioterrorism involving smallpox, the US government is reinstituting smallpox vaccination (https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/; www.idsociety.org/bt/toc.htm). Vaccination is currently expected to proceed in three phases: the military and hospital smallpox response teams first, other health care workers, police and firefighters second, and the general public in the third phase. Except for the military, vaccination will be voluntary.

The drugs of choice for non-HIV viral infections with their dosages and cost are listed in the table that begins on the next page. Since the last Medical Letter issue on this subject, some new drugs and some new recommendations for old drugs have been added.

Recombinant interferon alfa-2b conjugated to polyethylene glycol (PEG-Intron), the first "pegylated"alpha interferon, has been approved by the FDA for once-a-week monotherapy of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients not previously treated with alpha interferon.

The drugs of choice for non-HIV viral infections with their dosages and cost are listed in the [article's] table.

Rebetron, a combination of injected recombinant interferon alfa-2b with oral ribavirin has been approved by the FDA for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Concerns persist about the possible use of biological weapons. Among the many organisms found in nature that cause serious infections, only a few have the combination of pathogenicity, stability and ease of production needed to make effective biological warefare agents.

The drugs of choice for non-HIV viral infections with their dosages and cost are listed in the table on the next page. The treatment of HIV infection will be discussed in a future issue.

Since the last review of this topic (Medical Letter, 32:73, August 10, 1990) some new antiviral agents have been approved and the indications for several others expanded. The drugs of choice for viral infections are listed in the table on page 36.