Efficacy and safety of intralesional measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine versus topical salicylic acid therapy for common warts: A comparative study

Background: Treating warts endures a therapeutic challenge for dermatologists. No single therapy has been proven universally effective in achieving complete remission for all patients. However, the use of intralesional immunotherapy with various antigens including MMR vaccine has shown promising results in the treatment of different types of warts. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness and safety of the MMR vaccine in the treatment of warts and compare its efficacy over the traditional topical keratolytic therapy. Methods: A hospital-based, prospective randomized study was conducted with 131 patients diagnosed with common warts over various parts of the body. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups. Group A included 67 patients who received intralesional MMR vaccine in every two weeks, and Group B included 64 patients in whom topical Salicylic acid was applied to the warts daily. The response to treatment was assessed at 2 weeks and after 12 weeks. Results: The MMR group showed significantly better results, with 85.5% showing complete clearing, and only 4.8% of patients exhibiting no improvement. In contrast, 55.8% of patients in the SA group showed 100% clinical response, and 11.5% showed partial clearing (P<0.001). Both the MMR group and the salicylic acid group had similar side effect profiles. Conclusion: Intralesional immunotherapy with MMR vaccine is safe, practicable, and cost-effective with minimal side effects and local complications than traditional salicylic acid therapy.