Introduction Warts can be resistant to treatment or recur despite the use of various destructive and immunotherapeutic modalities. Combination immunotherapy might contribute to better response rates. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of a triple intralesional immunotherapy combination composed of purified protein derivative (PPD), Candida antigen, and measles–mumps–rubella vaccine (MMR), versus each agent alone, in the management of multiple recalcitrant warts. Methods In total, 160 patients with numerous resistant extragenital warts were included in the research. They were randomly assigned to one of four groups (each with 40 patients): PPD, Candida antigen, and MMR, or combination of the three antigens. Injections into the biggest wart were repeated every 2 weeks until clearance or for a total of five sessions. Results Complete wart clearance was reported in 31 patients (77.5%) who received triple-antigen immunotherapy, 23 patients (57.5%) who received intralesional PPD, 29 patients (72.5%) injected with Candida antigen, and 25 patients (62.5%) who received MMR. The combined therapy was found to be superior to the other therapies and had the lowest recurrence rate, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions Triple intralesional antigen immunotherapy is as safe as, and more effective than, monoantigen immunotherapy, and can be added to the armamentarium against recalcitrant human papilloma virus (HPV) infections.

BACKGROUNDHepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination is associated with stimulation of humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Intralesional HBV vaccine has been recently used as an immunotherapy of common warts with relatively low success rate.AIMTo assess the efficacy and safety of intralesional versus intramuscular (IM) HBV vaccine in the treatment of multiple common warts.PATIENTS AND METHODSThe study included 60 patients with multiple common warts who were randomly assigned to 2 groups: intralesional HBV vaccine or IM HBV vaccine. In the intralesional HBV vaccine group, the vaccine was injected into the largest wart at 2-week intervals until complete clearance or for a maximum of 5 sessions. Intramuscular HBV vaccine group received 3 injections in the deltoid muscle at 0, 1, and 6 months.RESULTSComplete wart clearance was reported in 7 patients (23.3%) of the intralesional HBV vaccine group and 15 patients (50%) of the IM HBV vaccine group. The difference was statistically significant in favor of the IM group (p = .0479). Adverse effects were mild and insignificant in the 2 groups.CONCLUSIONHBV vaccine, particularly the IM form seems to be a promising, well-tolerated therapeutic option for the treatment of warts.LIMITATIONSShort follow-up period and small sample size.

Treatment of recalcitrant plantar warts represent a highly challenging issue for both patients and physicians. Candida antigen and purified protein derivative (PPD) have shown promising efficacy in the treatment of warts, however no previous studies have compared both antigens for recalcitrant plantar warts. To assess the efficacy and safety of intralesional Candida antigen versus intralesional PPD in the management of recalcitrant plantar warts. The study included 120 adult patients with multiple recalcitrant plantar warts. They were randomly assigned to one of three groups; Candida antigen, PPD, or normal saline. Injections into the largest wart were repeated every 2 weeks until clearance or for a maximum of five sessions. Complete wart clearance was reported in 33 patients (82.5%) of the Candida antigen group, in 22 patients (55.6%) of the PPD group, and in one patient (5%) of the control saline group. A statistically significant difference was found between the studied groups in favor of Candida antigen. Adverse effects were mild and insignificant in the three groups. Intralesional antigen immunotherapy by Candida antigen or PPD is a promising, safe, and cost-effective therapeutic option for multiple recalcitrant plantar warts, with statistically significant superiority of Candida antigen.

Onychomycosis is a chronic fungal infection of the nail, characterised by nail discoloration, subungual hyperkeratosis and onycholysis.The involved pathogens are dermatophytes, yeasts (Candida spp.) and non-dermatophyte moulds (NDMs). 1 Dermatophytes such as Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes are the most common agents of onychomycosis, with higher prevalence of the infection in toenails than in fingernails. Candida albicans affects almost exclusively the fingernails and accounts for 10% of toenail onychomycosis. 2,3 Onychomycosis represents a therapeutic challenge because of the high recurrence rate. Moreover, it requires long treatment duration and systemic rather than topical antifungal agent because onychomycosis-related subungual hyperkeratosis limits the penetration with topical antifungal drugs, in addition to the slow nail growth,

Background: Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) is a common health problem and its clear etiology is not established yet. Several theories have been tried to illustrate its etiology and pathogenesis. Autoantibodies and inflammatory cytokines like IL-23 and IL17 are hypothesized to take part in CSU pathogenesis and outcome. Objectives: To detect serum levels of IL-23 and IL-17A among CSU patients and to determine its correlation with disease severity and its relation to autoreactivity. Methodology: Serum levels of IL-23 and IL-17A were measured in 23 patients with CSU (CSU group) and 23 healthy controls (control group). In CSU group, Weekly Urticaria Activity Score (UAS7) was recorded to assess disease severity. Autologous Serum Skin Test (ASST) was performed to assess autoreactivity. CSU patients᾿ group was subdivided, based on ASST, into positive ASST (ASST+ ) and negative ASST (ASST- ) subgroups. Correlation of serum IL-23 & IL-17A levels, with UAS7 and ASST response were analyzed. Results: CSU group had higher serum IL-17A and IL-23 levels than control group (P=0.000). ASST+ CSU had higher serum IL-17A and IL-23 levels than ASSTones (P=0.000). Additionally, UAS7 was higher in ASST+ subgroup than ASST- subgroup (32+11.7 versus 16.27+ 9.92; P =0.005). There was significant positive correlation between disease severity and serum levels of both IL-17A and IL-23 among CSU patients (r= 0.626 & P= 0.001 and r=0.515 & P= .012, respectively). Conclusion: Increased serum IL-17A and IL-23 levels may constitute two major determinants of CSU pathogenesis and severity.