OBJECTIVE

To provide a pathophysiological rationale for interferon therapy in recurrent herpes virus infections.

Herpesvirus infection is a common cause of recurrent vesicular rashes in the anogenital area in men and women. Both virus persistence and latency/replication status, as well as the background state of immune mechanisms, play a crucial role in disease development. The interferon system (IFN) is a universal factor of both nonspecific resistance and immunity regulation. Dysfunction of the IFN system and low IFN production provide the pathogenetic basis for many inflammatory and immunopathological reactions, as well as contribute to reparation dysregulation. IFNs are type-specific cytokines and comprise a group of biologically active proteins and/or glycoproteins synthesized by cells during immune reactions in response to stimulating agents. IFNs are the most important factors of innate immunity, the first line of anti-infective defense. IFNs are of special interest because the induction of their synthesis, primarily by natural killer cells, monocytic cells, and dendritic cells, precedes the specific immune reactions in herpesvirus infection. In many studies, IFN type 1 (IFN-α) was shown to have antiviral and immunomodulatory activity, thus exerting its anti-infective effect. This review covers the perspective of using topical formulations of IFN-α (rectal suppositories), supported by clinical cases from the authors’ practice.