Local hyperthermia treatment of extensive viral warts in Darier disease: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Background: Darier disease is an autosomal dominant hereditary skin disease that is susceptible to secondary bacterial or fungal infections, but rarely to human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. Multiple or extensive warts from HPV remain a therapeutic challenge, but local hyperthermia is effective. We treated a patient with Darier disease who had superimposed warts in the genital and neck regions.

Materials and methods: The patient was treated with tolerable local hyperthermia with infrared light from a halogen lamp (surface temperature, 40°C) to a single target lesion on the genitalia (30 min daily) for 3 consecutive days.

Results: Within 2 weeks, the target lesion cleared and synchronous regression of untreated lesions on the neck was observed.

Conclusions: In Darier disease, local hyperthermia treatment of HPV warts in 1 region was effective in treating multiple lesions, including lesions at a remote site, possibly by promoting an immune response against HPV.

• skin
• human papillomavirus
• temperature
• verruca vulgaris