Efficacy of intralesional injection of mumps-measles-rubella vaccine in patients with wart

Abstract

Background:In the previous studies, it has been shown that mumps-measles-rubella (MMR) vaccine resulted in regression of warts via immunomodulatory effect and induction of immune system. Due to the high prevalence of warts in various populations, we evaluated the efficacy of MMR vaccine injection in the treatment of cutaneous warts.Materials and Methods:This double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in Hazrat-e-Rasoul Hospital in Tehran in 2011-2012 on 24 patients with warts who were allocated to two groups including MMR group and normal saline group. MMR vaccine was injected intralesionally in the MMR group, whereas normal saline was injected into the lesions in the second group. These injections were repeated every 2 weeks intervals for maximum 3 injections. All patients were followed up every 15-day interval up to 45 days and then up to 6 months regarding relapses and finally, side effects, probable relapse, and therapeutic outcomes were evaluated and compared.Results:At the end of follow-up period, therapeutic outcomes in the MMR group included no cure in 2 cases, relative cure in 4 cases, and complete cure in 18 cases. In normal saline group, these rates included no cure in seven cases, relative cure in nine cases, and complete cure in six cases (P < 0.001). No significant complication occurred in the two groups.Conclusion:MMR vaccine may result in desirable therapeutic response. The hypothesis that is considered here is that MMR vaccine, via induction of cellular and humoral immune system, accelerates the destruction of virus and infected host cells.

Evolving role of immunotherapy in the treatment of refractory warts

“…Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) viral vaccine accelerates the clearance of virus and viral infected cells by stimulation of cell-mediated and humoral immunity. [ 22 ] It has been used in a dose of 0.5 ml injected into each cutaneous wart once in two weeks for up to 5 sittings to produce 63% complete resolution by Nofal et al . Pain, itching, erythema, and flu-like symptoms were the side effects noted.…”

The efficacy and safety of intralesional immunotherapy with measles, mumps, rubella virus vaccine for the treatment of common warts in adults

“…[ 11 12 ] This conceptualized intralesional immunotherapy using different antigens to stimulate cell-mediated and humoral immunity and accelerated clearance of virus and viral infected cells leading to clearing of intralsionally treated and distant warts with variable success rates. [ 8 9 11 12 ] Immunotherapy using intralesional MMR vaccine has been found useful in treating common warts particularly in children. [ 8 9 10 ] Nofal and Nofal[ 10 ] reported cure rates of 81.4% patients as compared with 27.5% in placebo group with intralesional MMR vaccine and antigens.…”

“…[ 8 9 11 12 ] Immunotherapy using intralesional MMR vaccine has been found useful in treating common warts particularly in children. [ 8 9 10 ] Nofal and Nofal[ 10 ] reported cure rates of 81.4% patients as compared with 27.5% in placebo group with intralesional MMR vaccine and antigens. Similar results were also reported by Mohamad et al .…”

“…[ 13 ] and Zamanian et al . [ 8 ] separately observing complete clearance in 82%, partial response in 6%, and no response in 12% patients of plantar warts, and complete cure of common warts in 75%, relative cure in 16.66% and no cure in 8.33% patients, respectively. Na et al .…”

“…[ 5 ] Immunotherapy using intralesional MMR vaccine has been found useful in treating common warts particularly in children. [ 8 9 10 ] We evaluated the efficacy and safety of MMR vaccine in the treatment of common warts in adults.…”