Systemic treatment with interferon-alpha 2B: an effective method to prevent sterility after bilateral mumps orchitis.

In men orchitis represents the most common complication of mumps infection and occurs in 5 to 37% of this population. Bilateral manifestation is observed in 16 to 65% of the patients. The most important danger is the risk of testicular atrophy which results in sterility. Four patients with bilateral mumps orchitis received systemic treatment with interferon-alpha 2B (3 x 10(6) IU per day) for 7 days. All acute symptoms of mumps orchitis disappeared within 2 to 4 days of hospitalization. During 6 to 15 months of followup no incidence of testicular atrophy was observed. In 3 of 4 patients pre-treatment examination revealed subfertility (oligoasthenospermia), while 2 to 4 months after interferon treatment, as well as during the entire followup period normospermia was found. No severe adverse effects occurred during treatment. The flu-like symptoms could be prevented by concomitant administration of paracetamol (500 mg. 3 times a day). Systemic treatment with interferon-alpha 2B appears to be highly effective in preventing sterility and testicular atrophy after bilateral mumps orchitis. Further investigations involving larger populations should be performed to establish the present promising results.