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The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of parenteral administration of interferon alpha-2α in the treatment of recurrent herpes genitalis. A total of 97 patients (66 males, 31 females, mean age 34.86 ± 16.74 years), who had at least five recurrences of genital herpes during the previous 12 months, participated in a prospective open study on the effects of treatment with interferon alpha-2α (Roferon-A; Roche). The patients were treated with interferon alpha-2α (3 × 106 IU) by subcutaneous injection, three times weekly for 4 weeks, and the same schedule was repeated after 3 and 6 months. All patients were asymptomatic at the start of the study. After initiation of treatment, all patients reported to the clinic every 3 months for 2 years (the males were submitted to peoscopy and the females to Pap test and colposcopy) at the time of their recurrences. Comparison was made of the number of recurrences, duration of lesions, duration and severity of pain, and itching and burning. Prophylactic administration of interferon alpha-2α prevented recurrences of genital herpes virus infection in 51 patients (20 males and 31 females). Interferon administration shortened the healing time from 8.5 days before treatment to 2.5 days after treatment (p < 0.001). There was a significant reduction in the number of recurrences during the study period, from 7.46 before treatment to 2.64 after treatment (p < 0.001). On the basis of the overall efficacy and adverse effects, this regimen may be of value in the routine treatment of recurrent herpes.

Peoscopy was performed in order to assess penile lesions in the male sexual partners of 326 women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or flat condyloma (FC). Each patient was submitted to a careful naked-eye inspection, peoscopy and biopsy of any suspicious lesion which was confirmed histologically and immunohistochemically. A brush cytologic examination of the distal portion of the urethra was also performed. The distribution of penile lesions was as follows: (1) 8 patients with herpes virus infection; (2) 37 patients with condyloma accuminata (CA); (3) 89 patients with FC; (4) 51 patients with FC and CA; (5) 18 patients with penile intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 (PIN-I); (6) 2 patients with PIN-II; (7) 17 patients with PIN-III; (8) 92 patients with no penile lesions; (9) 7 patients with human papilloma virus infection of papillae coronae glandis, and (10) 5 patients with FC of the distal portion of the urethra. Naked-eye inspection revealed the presence of penile lesions in 39 of 233 patients (16.73%). Peoscopic examination revealed the presence of penile lesions in 233 of 326 patients (71.48%). In 135 of 155 patients the peoscopic findings were in accordance with the histologic diagnosis (87.09%). Immunohistochemical (by indirect peroxidase-antiperoxidase method) detection of virus antigens was positive in 16 of 34 patients (47.03%). It is concluded that peoscopy of the male sexual partners of women with CIN or FC should be performed to better assess the treatment used in the couple.

The aim of the present study was to test the method of urethral cytologic sampling and to assess its results in the cytologic detection of human papillomavirus infection in the male partners of infected women. Cytologic evidence of abnormal epithelium was found in a total of 50 out of 167 cases (29.94%). It is interesting to note that 9 (5.38%) patients with cytological evidence of flat condylomas of the urethra did not have any other lesion. On the basis of the present study, we conclude that cytobrush urethral cytology should be routinely associated with peoscopy in studying the male partners of women affected by human papillomavirus infection, in an effort to diminish the reservoir of a virus strongly associated with cervical and penile neoplasia.

The aim of the present study was to test the method of urethral cytologic sampling and to assess its results in the cytologic detection of human papillomavirus infection in the male partners of infected women. Cytologic evidence of abnormal epithelium was found in a total of 50 out of 167 cases (29.94%). It is interesting to note that 9 (5.38%) patients with cytological evidence of flat condylomas of the urethra did not have any other lesion. On the basis of the present study, we conclude that cytobrush urethral cytology should be routinely associated with peoscopy in studying the male partners of women affected by human papillomavirus infection, in an effort to diminish the reservoir of a virus strongly associated with cervical and penile neoplasia.