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To the Editor.—I tend toward intermittent herpes simplex of my right nare several times a year. On one occasion, in 1986, I had labyrinthitis without herpes simplex. I suspected a possible connection, so I took 1200 mg of acyclovir (two 200-mg capsules three times a day). The labyrinthitis diminished in 24 hours and cleared in 72 hours. Labyrinthitis without herpes simplex recurred in February 1988. I repeated the same dosage of acyclovir with identical improvement. As a dermatologist, we occasionally use a larger dose of acyclovir for the treatment of herpes simplex.
The only side effect was gastroenteritis, which subsided on termination of the medication.