Treatment of the Common Wart by Induced Allergic Inflammation

Abstract

In an uncontrolled investigation 63 selected patients with verrucae vulgares were sensitized with DNCB (1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene) with subsequent regular painting of the warts with DNCB. Only 86% of these patients could be sensitized, in contrast to 96% in a normal population. 20 patients had to be excluded from the material on account of defaulting or defective sensitization. In the remainder of the patients allergic type IV inflammation developed around the painted warts and 1 patient developed an urticarial type I reaction around the warts and on the body. In the patients with multiple warts, 80% (24/30) were cured. This corresponds to the percentage cure in patients with solitary warts. Complement-binding wart virus antibodies were present in 15% of the patients prior to the treatment and in 43% after the conclusion of treatment. This investigation provides a new method of treatment of verrucae vulgares and suggests that regression in the warts is immunologically conditioned. On account of the risk of allergic side effects, the method should be carried out in special departments only.

The therapeutic use of topical contact sensitizers in benign dermatoses

“…Theories are similar to those for AA and include alterations in cytokine levels, nonspecific inflammation causing wart regression and binding of DPCP to wart protein inducing a specific immune reaction 71 . The latter is supported by the fact that warts at untreated sites may sometimes improve or clear during treatment 67,102 , 121–127 . DPCP induces a reversal of the CD4 : CD8 ratio such that CD8 cells predominate in a heavy epidermal and dermal inflammatory infiltrate 121 .…”

“…DPCP induces a reversal of the CD4 : CD8 ratio such that CD8 cells predominate in a heavy epidermal and dermal inflammatory infiltrate 121 . DNCB increases the incidence of complement‐binding wart virus antibodies from 15% before treatment to 48% afterwards, suggesting a role for humoral factors 123 …”

Dinitrochlorobenzene Treatment of Verrucae Plana

“…Lewis (3) reported the first use of DNCB therapy for resistant warts and had good results. Subsequently, several authors (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13) have studied the use of DNCB for recalcitrant warts.…”

Vaccines

“…An allergic contact dermatitis produced by dinitrochlorobenzene is associated with regression of warts (Goihman-Yahr et aI, 1978;Eriksen, 1980), but is unsuitable as condylomata therapy because of the dermal response in the sensitive genitoanal areas (von Krogh, 1983). Iwatsuki (1986) found T-Iymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes adjacent to damaged keratinocytes (satellite cell necrosis), suggesting that cellmediated immunity participates in the process of wart regression.…”