Treatment of viral warts by intralesional injection of zinc sulphate.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to verify the efficacy of the intralesional injection of 2% zinc sulphate as compared to an injection of 7% hypertonic sodium chloride solution in the treatment of viral warts.


METHODS
One hundred patients (53 females and 47 males) aged 4-45 years (mean+/-SD 19.93+/-7.92) and diagnosed with multiple verruca vulgaris (common warts) were the subject of the study. The duration of the viral warts ranged from 0.1-17 years (mean+/- SD 1.87+/-2.73). A total of 623 lesions were included in the study (mean+/- SD of lesions, 10.8+/-8.05). The treated number of lesions were 316 (mean+/- SD 4.78+/-5.09), with the untreated 307 lesions left as control.


RESULTS
In 53 patients (30 females, 23 males), 173 lesions were treated with 2% zinc sulphate intralesionally, while 176 lesion were left untreated as control. The total clearance rate of the treated lesions were 98.2% within 6 weeks of follow-up (80.92% of lesions needed a single injection and showed total clearance within 2 weeks), while none of the control lesions showed any spontaneous clearance within the same period. In 47 patients (27 females, 20 males), 143 lesions were treated with 7% hypertonic sodium chloride solution intralesinally, with the remaining 131 lesions left untreated as control. Only 8.3% of treated lesions showed total clearance within 10 weeks of follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Two percent zinc sulphate can be recommended as a new and effective local mode of therapy of viral warts, especially for the recalcitrant form.
Sharquie
Khalifa A
KA
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Baghdad, Medical Collection Office, Baghdad, Iraq.
Al-Nuaimy
Adil A
AA