Intralesional Candida antigen versus intralesional vitamin D3 in the treatment of recalcitrant multiple common warts.

Background: There are various therapies available for recalcitrant common warts; however no specific therapy has been established as entirely effective.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of intralesional Candida antigen injection of vs. intralesional vitamin D3 injection in the treatment of multiple recalcitrant common warts.

Methods: A total of 80 adult patients with multiple common warts were randomly assigned to one of three groups in this study. Thirty patients were assigned to Group I, who received a 0.3 ml intralesional injection of Candida antigen. Thirty patients were assigned to Group II, who received a 0.6-ml (60 000 IU) intralesional injection of vitamin D3. Twenty patients were in Group-III, who received 0.3 ml of normal saline as a control. Each agent was injected at the base of largest wart every 3 weeks until full clearance has been obtained, or for a maximum of four sessions.

Results: In the Candida antigen, vitamin D3, and saline groups, complete wart clearance was observed in 76.7 percent, 20%, and 0.0 percent, respectively. The side effects were negligible and transient, and there was no recurrence of the lesions.

Conclusions: Intralesional injection of Candida antigen is as a safe, simple, cost-effective treatment modality for multiple recalcitrant common warts and it outperforms intralesional vitamin D3.