Diagnostic and therapeutic implications of vitamin D deficiency in patients with warts: A case‐controlled study

Abstract

Warts are common benign proliferations of the skin that are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) and can be classified into different types (flat, filiform, plantar, and genital). 1 A number of immunotherapeutic agents had been successfully used in treating warts including imiquimod, bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, HPV vaccine, interferon, systemic zinc, cimetidine, and levamisole. 2 It is worth mentioning that despite resistance of warts to treatment especially in adults and immune-suppressed patients, success of treatment usually depends on the host's immune status, virus type, duration, and number of lesions. 3 Recently, studies shed light on the potential role of vitamin D in the regulation of both adaptive and innate immunity. 4 Additionally, it plays a key role in antimicrobial innate responses by characterizing an autocrine vitamin D pathway in human monocytes/ macrophages after

Comparative study between intralesional injection of MMR, BCG, and candida albicans antigen in treatment of multiple recalcitrant warts

“…This generalized immune response has the potential to target distant warts and not only ones in close proximity of the injection or application site. 5 In comparison with other studies using MMR for treating common recalcitrant warts, our study reported 73.3%, which was higher than that reported by Na et al (82.4%), and Mohammed et al 11 Two other randomized trials compared using MMR antigen to normal saline for treating recalcitrant proximal and distal warts and reported a clearance rate of 92% and 60%, respectively, after 3 sessions only. 12,13 In comparison with other studies using BCG for treating common recalcitrant warts, our study reported 70.0%, which was higher than that reported by Ebrahim et al 14 23 (73.5%), Marie et al 24 (58.3%), and Horn et al 25 (54%).…”

“…Topical and systemic immunotherapy for warts activates and induces the production of natural killer (NK) cells and Th1 cytokines to recognize the causative HPV antigens. This generalized immune response has the potential to target distant warts and not only ones in close proximity of the injection or application site 5 …”

Topical Calcipotriol for the Treatment of Cutaneous Warts: An Assessor‐Blind Randomized Placebo‐Controlled Trial

“…Calcipotriol is a vitamin D3 analogue, assumed to have immunomodulatory efects [6]. On the other hand, lower serum vitamin D levels have been reported in patients with viral warts [15,16].…”

Effect of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Photodynamic Therapy with Transfer Factor Capsules in the Treatment of Multiple Plantar Warts

“…A previous study found that intralesional vitamin D3 injection achieved better results than Candida antigen and 2% zinc sulfate in the treatment of recalcitrant plantar warts, with a low rate of wart recurrence and minimal adverse effects [ 38 ]. In addition, oral vitamin D supplementation has been found to be effective in clearing warts [ 39 ]. The transfer factor is a kind of immunomodulator that has been successfully used as an adjuvant in the treatment of intracellular infections such as recurrent herpes virus diseases by improving human immunity.…”