A Randomized, Double-Blind Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Oral Ganciclovir for the Prevention of CMV Disease in People Infected With the Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Inclusion Criteria Concurrent Medication: Allowed: Topical or ophthalmic nucleoside analogs. Patients must have: Confirmation of HIV infection. Documented CMV infection. No past or present CMV disease (e.g., retinitis, colitis, esophagitis). Adequate visualization of the retina of both eyes by ophthalmologist. CD4 count <= 50 cells/mm3 (in patients WITHOUT a history of an AIDS-defining opportunistic infection or chronic gynecologic infection) OR CD4 count <= 100 cells/mm3 (in patients WITH a history of an AIDS-defining opportunistic infection or chronic gynecologic infection). Exclusion Criteria Co-existing Condition: Patients with the following symptoms or conditions are excluded: Presence of gastrointestinal disease or symptoms not controlled with medications (e.g., persistent nausea, abdominal pain or persistent diarrhea within the past 4 weeks that is not controllable with medication). Inability to comply with protocol. Concurrent Medication: Excluded: The following nucleoside analogs: IV ganciclovir, IV acyclovir for more than 2 weeks total duration, oral acyclovir at doses > 1000 mg/day, vidarabine, amantadine hydrochloride, cytarabine, idoxuridine. FIAU, FIAC, foscarnet, CMV hyperimmune globulin, IV immune globulin, CMV monoclonal antibody, HPMPC. Imipenem-cilastatin (Primaxin). Patients with the following prior condition are excluded: History of hypersensitivity to acyclovir. Prior Medication: Excluded within the past 60 days: Ganciclovir, foscarnet, FIAC, FIAU, CMV hyperimmune globulin, CMV monoclonal antibody, or HPMPC.