Skip to main content
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy logoLink to Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
. 1987 Jul;31(7):1137–1139. doi: 10.1128/aac.31.7.1137

Therapy of genital herpes with topically applied interferon.

L J Eron 1, C Toy 1, B Salsitz 1, R R Scheer 1, D L Wood 1, P I Nadler 1
PMCID: PMC174885  PMID: 3310870

Abstract

Ninety-four patients with recurrences of genital herpes were randomized in a double-blind trial to receive topical therapy for 5 days with either alpha-2a interferon at 30 X 10(6) IU/ml or 10 X 10(6) IU/ml or placebo six times daily. No differences were noted between either interferon dose and placebo with respect to the duration of viral shedding, the time to crusting, or the time to healing of herpetic lesions. Aqueous solutions of alpha-2a interferon applied topically to unroofed vesicles do not appear to be clinically useful in the treatment of recurrences of genital herpes.

Full text

PDF
1137

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Chatterjee S., Hunter E., Whitley R. Effect of cloned human interferons on protein synthesis and morphogenesis of herpes simplex virus. J Virol. 1985 Nov;56(2):419–425. doi: 10.1128/jvi.56.2.419-425.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Corey L., Adams H. G., Brown Z. A., Holmes K. K. Genital herpes simplex virus infections: clinical manifestations, course, and complications. Ann Intern Med. 1983 Jun;98(6):958–972. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-98-6-958. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Douglas J. M., Critchlow C., Benedetti J., Mertz G. J., Connor J. D., Hintz M. A., Fahnlander A., Remington M., Winter C., Corey L. A double-blind study of oral acyclovir for suppression of recurrences of genital herpes simplex virus infection. N Engl J Med. 1984 Jun 14;310(24):1551–1556. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198406143102402. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Eron L. J., Harvey L., Toy C., Santomauro D. Interferon in the prevention of genital herpes recurrence. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1986 Oct;30(4):608–610. doi: 10.1128/aac.30.4.608. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Kinghorn G. R., Turner E. B., Barton I. G., Potter C. W., Burke C. A., Fiddian A. P. Efficacy of topical acyclovir cream in first and recurrent episodes of genital herpes. Antiviral Res. 1983 Dec;3(5-6):291–301. doi: 10.1016/0166-3542(83)90037-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kuhls T. L., Sacher J., Pineda E., Santomauro D., Wiesmeier E., Growdon W. A., Bryson Y. J. Suppression of recurrent genital herpes simplex virus infection with recombinant alpha 2 interferon. J Infect Dis. 1986 Sep;154(3):437–442. doi: 10.1093/infdis/154.3.437. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Overall J. C., Jr, Yeh T. J., Kern E. R. Sensitivity of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 to three preparations of human interferon. J Infect Dis. 1980 Dec;142(6):943–943. doi: 10.1093/infdis/142.6.943. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Reichman R. C., Badger G. J., Mertz G. J., Corey L., Richman D. D., Connor J. D., Redfield D., Savoia M. C., Oxman M. N., Bryson Y. Treatment of recurrent genital herpes simplex infections with oral acyclovir. A controlled trial. JAMA. 1984 Apr 27;251(16):2103–2107. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Spruance S. L., Green J. A., Chiu G., Yeh T. J., Wenerstrom G., Overall J. C., Jr Pathogenesis of herpes simplex labialis: correlation of vesicle fluid interferon with lesion age and virus titer. Infect Immun. 1982 Jun;36(3):907–910. doi: 10.1128/iai.36.3.907-910.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Spruance S. L., McKeough M. B., Cardinal J. R. Penetration of guinea pig skin by acyclovir in different vehicles and correlation with the efficacy of topical therapy of experimental cutaneous herpes simplex virus infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1984 Jan;25(1):10–15. doi: 10.1128/aac.25.1.10. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Straus S. E., Takiff H. E., Seidlin M., Bachrach S., Lininger L., DiGiovanna J. J., Western K. A., Smith H. A., Lehrman S. N., Creagh-Kirk T. Suppression of frequently recurring genital herpes. A placebo-controlled double-blind trial of oral acyclovir. N Engl J Med. 1984 Jun 14;310(24):1545–1550. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198406143102401. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Sundmacher R., Cantell K., Neumann-Haefelin D. Combination therapy of dendritic keratitis with trifluorothymidine and interferon. Lancet. 1978 Sep 23;2(8091):687–687. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(78)92809-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Zawatzky R., Gresser I., DeMaeyer E., Kirchner H. The role of interferon in the resistance of C57BL/6 mice to various doses of herpes simplex virus type 1. J Infect Dis. 1982 Sep;146(3):405–410. doi: 10.1093/infdis/146.3.405. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. de Koning E. W., van Bijsterveld O. P., Cantell K. Combination therapy for dendritic keratitis with acyclovir and alpha-interferon. Arch Ophthalmol. 1983 Dec;101(12):1866–1868. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1983.01040020868006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. de Koning E. W., van Bijsterveld O. P., Cantell K. Combination therapy for dendritic keratitis with human leucocyte interferon and trifluorothymidine. Br J Ophthalmol. 1982 Aug;66(8):509–512. doi: 10.1136/bjo.66.8.509. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES