Intralesional acyclovir effective option for treatment of cutaneous warts, study finds

Egypt: Acyclovir, an antiviral drug, is a potential therapeutic option to eradicate the human papillomavirus (HPV), a recent study has revealed. 

The study, published in the Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, found that intralesional acyclovir is a well-tolerated and effective treatment modality for cutaneous warts. 

Elaborating on the need for this study, the researchers write that the treatment of warts is challenging, and developing an antiviral drug that can eradicate HPV is difficult. Acyclovir, an antiviral drug with proven efficacy in DNA viruses, could be a potential therapeutic option considering the viral origins of warts.

Ayman Elsayed, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt, and colleagues, therefore, aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intralesional acyclovir in the treatment of cutaneous warts.

The study included thirty-one patients with cutaneous warts. They were allocated into 2 groups -- Group A included 19 patients who had intralesional acyclovir, 70 mg/ml was injected into warts, while group B included 12 patients who received intralesional saline as control. The treatment was repeated at 2-week intervals until complete clearance or for a maximum of 5 sessions.

The results of the study were found to be:

• Complete clearance of warts was observed in 52.6%, partial response in 36.8%, and no response in 10.5% of the patients in the acyclovir group.

• Partial response was reported in 16.7%, and no response in 83.3% of the patients in the control group.

• A high statistically significant difference was found between the treatment and control groups.

• Adverse effects included pain during injection in 89.5%, blistering in 52.6% and erythema in5.3% of the patients. No recurrence was observed during the follow-up period.

Elsayed and the team concluded that "Intralesional acyclovir can be an effective and well-tolerated treatment modality for cutaneous warts." Antiviral breakdown of HPV can be controlled to a greater extent.

Reference:

1.Elsayed A, Nassar A, Marei A, Hoseiny HAM, Alakad R. Intralesional Acyclovir: A Potential Therapeutic Option for Cutaneous Warts. Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. August 2021. doi:10.1177/12034754211037998