The recommended dose of abacavir (Ziagen) for infants and children between three months and twelve years of age is 8mg/kg twice a day, up to a maximum dose of 600mg a day^[1]. There are limited data to suggest that a dose of 2mg/kg twice daily may be suitable for infants below 30 days old.

Researchers involved in the PENTA 5 study considered the combination of abacavir and 3TC to be a particularly attractive option for children because both drugs can be given as tolerable-tasting liquids twice a day in small volumes - essential features of any medication for children. This combination or abacavir and AZT (zidovudine, Retrovir) resulted in greater reductions in viral load than children given AZT and 3TC^[2].

The PENTA 13 study showed that once-daily abacavir might be a safe and effective option for the treatment of HIV-infected children, with similar drug levels to children taking abacavir twice a day^[3]. However, more data are needed before this can become a recommended treatment option.