Intralesional Interferon for the Treatment of Recalcitrant Molluscum Contagiosum in HIV Antibody Positive Individuals—A Preliminary Report

Abstract

Molluscum contagiosum is common in HIV disease and available therapies have a poor success rate and require frequent clinic visits. Interferon alpha has been used to treat recalcitrant condylomata acuminata and this study was undertaken to assess the use of this treatment in unresponsive molluscum contagiosum. A total of 30 molluscum contagiosum were injected with one megaunit of interferon alpha weekly for 4 weeks; 11 molluscum contagiosum completely cleared and 18 reduced in size by over 50%. Molluscum less than 0.5 cm in diameter, and those in patients without AIDS were more likely to respond. No surrounding lesions changed in size.

Interferon-α Treatment of Molluscum Contagiosum in a Patient With Hyperimmunoglobulin E Syndrome

“…Patients with primary immunodeficiencies or HIV infection may have widely disseminated MC that is difficult to treat. 5 HyperIgE syndrome also may cause a genetic susceptibility for the development of severe MC infection. Most of the patients have atopic dermatitis that is more prone to MC infection and can develop eczematous areas around lesions.…”

Interferon alpha treatment of molluscum contagiosum in immunodeficiency

“…In patients with HIV, MC can be difficult to treat conventionally 36 IFNα has been administered intralesionally with some success 7…”

Interventions for molluscum contagiosum in people infected with human immunodeficiency virus: a systematic review

“…Other studies assessing the effect of radiotherapy, diphencyprone, and intralesional interferon alpha were excluded on the basis that these interventions were too risky or prohibitively expensive.…”