Treatment of recurrent genital Herpes with Imiquimod: A case report

Abstract

In this report, a 32 year-old patient is reported who was suffering from recurrent genital herpes for 3 years and her disease could not be controlled with conventional treatment methods. But, application of Imiquimod 5% cream, 3 times a week for 3 months, proved very effective with no recurrence for up to 7 months. Since recurrent genital herpes is the result of some immunologic dysfunctions caused by herpes virus, it appears that immunoregulation of the region can diminish or reduce the disease recurrence. Imiquimod is a regulator of immune system with potency of anti-tumor and anti-viral activities. It is a stimulator for IFN-a and IL-1 production in blood system and human keratinocytes after topical application. On the other hand, it increases mRNA of IL-2, IL-6 and IL-8. Therefore, it is effective for curing resistant genital warts. However, this disease may also regress spontaneously. Therefore, for a final and more certain conclusion, it is essential to do further studies.