An Emerging Treatment of Viral Warts: A Case Report of a Patient Treated With Intralesional Immunotherapy

TL;DR

A 45-year-old man with facial warts was successfully treated with intralesional immunotherapy using the MMR vaccine, with no side effects and no recurrence after two years.

Contribution

This case report demonstrates the safety and effectiveness of intralesional MMR vaccine for facial warts, offering a cosmetically favorable alternative.

Findings

The patient showed significant improvement after the first session of intralesional MMR vaccine treatment.

The warts were completely cleared after three sessions with no side effects.

No recurrence was observed during a two-year follow-up period.

Abstract

Viral warts are common epidermal growths caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), causing a wide range of diseases ranging from benign lesions to invasive tumours. The current treatment options for warts include topical agents, destructive methods, and surgical excision. Here, we present a 45-year-old male patient with no significant past medical history, who presented with a few weeks' history of numerous skin-coloured to hyperpigmented papules along the beard bilaterally. A clinical diagnosis of facial warts was made, as some had verrucous surfaces. The patient was treated with three sessions of intralesional (IL) immunotherapy with measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, with two-week intervals between the IL sessions. There was a significant improvement after the first session, and it was completely cleared after the third session with no side effects. An extended follow-up for around two years showed no recurrence of warts. Multiple IL immunotherapies have been studied. IL immunotherapy with the MMR vaccine seems safe and effective, with more cosmetically acceptable results for facial wart treatment. There are no clear guidelines on when to use immunotherapy, but it is generally tried for extensive, recurrent, and refractory warts and difficult-to-treat areas.

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