title: Local clinical phototreatment of herpes infection in São Paulo.
abstract: The clinical use of topical photodynamic therapy in herpes simplex lesions in São Paulo is presented and discussed. Although previous attempts utilising this type of approach in the USA were discontinued in the early 1970s due to several presentations of post-treatment Bowen's disease, none of the cases from the clinic presented here have displayed any complications on follow-up. In addition, lesion recrudescence periods are generally much longer than with conventional approaches. This is thought to be due to improvements in the treatment protocol, viz. use of the non-toxic photosensitisers methylene blue and Hypericum perforatum extract in place of proflavine and neutral red in the original trials, differences in photosensitisation pathway and illumination of the treatment site with red rather than fluorescent/UV light. Post-treatment cosmesis is also excellent.
authors.affiliation: Fundação Medicina ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joao Paulo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tardivo
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wainwright
authors.forename: Mauricio S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Baptista
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D020902:Hypericum; D008297:Male; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015995:Prevalence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C422326:Hypericum extract LI 160; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D008751:Methylene Blue