Warts are common epidermal growths caused by human papillomavirus that often cause significant discomfort and embarrassment. Current treatment options include topical
therapies,
cryotherapy,
laser vaporization, and surgical excision. Many of these options are destructive and may result in
scarring, while less aggressive approaches can lead to lesion recurrence. Additionally, these local modalities are not practical for patients with a large number of
warts. Systemic approaches such as
immunotherapy have demonstrated success in treating multiple lesions by combining a targeted approach with upregulation of the host immune system. An extensive literature review was performed to evaluate the various
vaccine antigens that have been used intralesionally to treat cutaneous and anogenital
warts. The specific intralesional
immunotherapies that have been studied include: Candida albicans;
measles,
mumps, and
rubella; Trichophyton; and
tuberculin antigens such as purified
protein derivative,
Mycobacterium w vaccine, and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin. Intralesional
vaccine injection represents a safe, effective, and tolerable treatment for
warts, including recalcitrant and anogenital
warts. This approach has been somewhat overlooked in the past despite substantial evidence of high response rates with a low side effect profile. Large comparative trials are necessary to determine the most effective
immunotherapy treatment option as well as the most appropriate dosing parameters.