title: Transfer factor prevents relapses in herpes keratitis patients: a pilot study.
abstract: Transfer Factor is a dialysable moiety obtained from immune lymphocytes. It has been successfully used for the treatment of several viral infections including labial and genital herpes. In the present study, thirty-three patients with low immune response to HSV antigens and suffering from herpes ocular infections were orally treated with HSV-specific transfer factor (TF). Their relapse index was reduced from 20.1 before treatment to 0.51 after TF administration, with only 6/33 patients relapsing. Although this is not a placebo-controlled-randomized study, the results suggest that TF specific for HSV antigens may be efficacious for preventing relapses of ocular herpes infections as has been the case with genital and labial localisations.
authors.affiliation: Immunodiagnosis and Immunotherapy Unit, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pizza
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meduri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Vinci
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scorolli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Viza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006563:Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012008:Recurrence; D014165:Transfer Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014605:Uveitis / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014165:Transfer Factor