Evaluation of the Efficacy of Homologous Autoinoculation Therapy in Treatment of Multiple Recalcitrant Warts

Abstract

Warts are a common dermatologic complaint resulting from infection with HPV, with increasing incidence in children and young adults which spread by direct skin-to-skin contact or by autoinoculation. The clinical appearance of warts is variable and depends to some extent on the type of HPV involved and the site of infection. There are various types of viral warts including common warts, plantar warts, plane warts and genital warts. Usually diagnosis is made by clinical examination of the lesions and no laboratory investigations are required. Multiple treatment modalities are available for treating different types of warts. Most treatments directly destroy the visibly infected tissue, such as chemotherapy by (salicylic acid, TCA acid, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, formic acid, silver nitrates, podophyllin, podofilotoxin, retinoids and 5-FU), cryotherapy mostly by liquid nitrogen, electrosurgery, laser therapy by (CO2 laser, Er:YAG laser, and Nd: YAG laser), and photodynamic therapy. However, non-visible infected lesions are not targeted by these approaches. As the ideal aims of treatment of warts should be removing the wart without recurrence, avoiding aggressive procedures, and to assist the immune system in dealing more effectively with the HPV and inducing life-long immunity against it.