title: Recombinant alpha-2 interferon gel treatment of recurrent herpes genitalis.
abstract: Topical recombinant alpha-2 interferon treatment of recurrent genital herpes was studied in a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial. Three hundred and eighty-seven patients were treated at eight study centers with either interferon gel or placebo four times daily for four days. Interferon therapy caused a 26% decrease in the duration of viral shedding. For male patients, there were also significant decreases in the time to crusting (17%) and duration of pain (34%) and itching (21%). For patients with recurrent genital herpes, treatment with topical interferon was found to be effective in decreasing the duration of viral shedding and, for males, pain, itching and time to crusting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lebwohl
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sacks
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conant
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eron
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marlowe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mendelson
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bradstreet
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins