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Intralesional Candida antigen for common warts in people with HIV
Insights
Intralesional Candida antigen immunotherapy showed partial effectiveness for refractory warts in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients. Three of seven participants achieved clearance, indicating a potential novel treatment approach for this population.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Immunotherapy
- Viral Warts
Background:
- Intralesional Candida antigen immunotherapy is established for refractory warts in immunocompetent individuals.
- Its efficacy in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected populations remains undocumented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate Candida antigen's effectiveness for treating medically refractory, long-standing common warts in HIV patients.
Main Methods:
- A case series involving seven HIV-positive patients with recalcitrant common warts on hands and feet.
- Treatment administered via intralesional Candida antigen injections at an outpatient dermatology clinic.
Main Results:
- Complete wart clearance was observed in three out of seven patients (43%).
- Four patients did not respond or could not tolerate the treatment.
- Common adverse events included injection-site redness, itching, and pain.
Conclusions:
- This study represents the first case series on Candida antigen immunotherapy for warts in individuals with HIV.
- Candida antigen offers a simple, novel therapeutic option for treatment-resistant warts in the HIV-positive population.
- Findings support further investigation in larger, randomized clinical trials.
Background:
Intralesional Candida antigen has been used as immunotherapy to treat refractory warts in the immunocompetent pediatric and adult populations but has not been reported in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Purpose:
To examine if Candida antigen resulted in clearance of medically refractory, long-standing common warts in a series of HIV patients.
Method:
At a hospital-based, adult, outpatient dermatology clinic, seven patients with HIV with common warts of the hands and feet were treated with intralesional Candida antigen. The warts had been resistant to standard patient- and physician-applied modalities.
Results:
Clearance was achieved in three of seven patients, whereas four of seven did not respond due to a lack of effectiveness or an inability to tolerate treatment. Adverse events included injection-site redness, pruritus, and pain.
Conclusion:
This is the first reported case series using Candida antigen for warts in individuals with HIV. The use of Candida antigen represents a simple and novel approach to the management of treatment-refractory warts in those with HIV. This case series provides a foundation for future larger, randomized trials.
