A 24-Year-Old Man Comes to the Physician with Painful Blisters

A 24-year-old man comes to the physician with painful blisters on the shaft of his penis.  The lesions erupted 2 days ago.  The patient has had 5 lifetime sexual partners and is currently sexually active with one female partner; he uses condoms inconsistently.  Examination shows multiple vesicular lesions on the penis, and Tzanck smear is positive for multinucleated giant cells.  HIV testing is negative.  The patient has had several similar episodes every year for the past 2 years but had been too embarrassed to seek treatment until now.  Which of the following would most likely have prevented recurrence of this patient's condition?

A) Continuous daily valacyclovir
B) Immunoglobulin during the first episode
C) Lamivudine with recurrence of blisters
D) Regular condom use after the first episode
E) Weeklong course of acyclovir during the first episode

Correct Answer:

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