OBJECTIVE: Human papillomavirus (HPV) persistent infections of genital tract are strongly related to the development of genital warts and cellular transformation. These infections lead to different type of anogenital cancers, including cervical, vulvar and vaginal. Current therapeutic treatments of genital warts include surgical removal, physician-applied and patient-applied treatments. Most of these treatments aim to remove the wart, with low effect on virus infectivity. Therefore, recurrence rate represents a significant issue that has not been yet addressed. Moreover, adverse events and patient discomfort hamper the potential of these treatments. The aim of our study was to present a protocol proposal for the treatment of primary and recurrent genital warts based on Coriolus-MRL and polyhexamethylene biguanide application (PHMB).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: 42 Patients with primary (15 patients) and recurrent (27 patients) genital warts were treated with the immunostimulator Coriolus-MRL and PHMB solution. Coriolus-MRL (Mycology Research Laboratories Ltd, Luton, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom) was administered as 2 tablets, 3 times per day, for six months while PHMB-gynecological solution, a mono-dose gynecological liquid-gel, was prepared and self-administered by patients before bedtime, every four days for twenty days and, afterward, every twenty days for the following six months. The control group was treated only with Coriolus-MRL, 2 tablets, 3 times per day, for six months. All patients with recurrent genital warts were previously treated with podophyllin local therapy.

RESULTS: We have found that the combined treatment of PHMB solution and Coriolus-MRL induced an immediate disappearance and clearance of HPV infection lesions, speeding up the warts healing in comparison to the control, with a total regression of these within the first month for treated group while the control group has reached the same effect after 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS: These results have demonstrated that combined therapy with Coriolus-MRL and PHMB solution provide positive outcomes in cases of primary or recurrent genital warts.