Shilpi Sharma1,2, Saurabh Agarwal1,2. 1. Dr. Sharma is Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology at the Government Medical College Haldwani in Uttarakhand, India. 2. Dr. Agarwal is Professor and Unit Head of the Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology at the Government Medical College Haldwani in Uttarakhand, India.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Anogenital warts (AGWs) are one of the leading sexually transmitted infections in the world. This condition poses a number of challenges to dermatologists, including the reluctance of patients to consult a physician and the high likelihood of relapse. Individuals with AGWs suffer a substantial psychological morbidity. Intralesional immunotherapy with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine has been reported to be an effective treatment for warts. However, literature on the efficacy of intralesional immunotherapy with the MMR vaccine for the treatment of anogenital warts is sparse. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the efficacy of the MMR vaccine for the treatment of anogenital warts at an outpatient dermatology department in Government Medical College Haldwani in India. METHODS: This was a hospital-based, longitudinal study the included 35 patients. In patients with genital warts, 0.5mL of the MMR vaccine after reconstitution with distilled water was injected intradermally into their single largest wart. Injections were given every three weeks until a maximum of three injections was achieved. Pre- and posttreatment photographs were assessed to compare the degree of reduction in the size and number of warts. The therapeutic response was evaluated as follows: No response (<50% reduction in the number of warts), Relative response (50%-99% reduction), complete response (100% reduction). RESULTS: On average, a 42.4-percent response was observed in the first three weeks after administering the MMR vaccine, which increased to 75.8 percent after the second vaccine at six weeks and nearly 98 percent after the last vaccine at nine weeks. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that intralesional immunotherapy with the MMR vaccine can serve as a safe and effective therapy for the treatment of AGWs.
INTRODUCTION: Anogenital warts (AGWs) are one of the leading sexually transmitted infections in the world. This condition poses a number of challenges to dermatologists, including the reluctance of patients to consult a physician and the high likelihood of relapse. Individuals with AGWs suffer a substantial psychological morbidity. Intralesional immunotherapy with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine has been reported to be an effective treatment for warts. However, literature on the efficacy of intralesional immunotherapy with the MMR vaccine for the treatment of anogenital warts is sparse. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the efficacy of the MMR vaccine for the treatment of anogenital warts at an outpatient dermatology department in Government Medical College Haldwani in India. METHODS: This was a hospital-based, longitudinal study the included 35 patients. In patients with genital warts, 0.5mL of the MMR vaccine after reconstitution with distilled water was injected intradermally into their single largest wart. Injections were given every three weeks until a maximum of three injections was achieved. Pre- and posttreatment photographs were assessed to compare the degree of reduction in the size and number of warts. The therapeutic response was evaluated as follows: No response (<50% reduction in the number of warts), Relative response (50%-99% reduction), complete response (100% reduction). RESULTS: On average, a 42.4-percent response was observed in the first three weeks after administering the MMR vaccine, which increased to 75.8 percent after the second vaccine at six weeks and nearly 98 percent after the last vaccine at nine weeks. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that intralesional immunotherapy with the MMR vaccine can serve as a safe and effective therapy for the treatment of AGWs.