Non-specific delayed-type hypersensitivity response to treat herpes simplex virus infection

Abstract

A method is presented for treating herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection comprising: (a) locally administering a substance that induces a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to a patient at a site of an HSV lesion to induce a DTH response at the site of the lesion during one or more outbreaks of the HSV infection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection comprising:
 (a) locally administering a substance that induces a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to a patient at a site of an HSV lesion to induce a DTH response at the site of the lesion during one or more outbreaks of the HSV infection;   wherein the method reduces the frequency or severity of subsequent HSV outbreaks in the patient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method reduces the severity of subsequent outbreaks. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method increases time between outbreaks. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (a) comprises topically applying the substance that induces a DTH response to a patient at a site of an HSV lesion to induce a DTH response at the site of the lesion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the substance that induces a DTH response is not squaric acid, a squaric acid ester, diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP), 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB), or 1-chloro-2,6-dinitrobenzene. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the substance that induces a DTH response comprises urushiol or an extract of an irritating plant. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (a) comprises intralesionally injecting the substance that induces a DTH response into a patient at a site of an HSV lesion to induce a DTH response at the site of the lesion. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the substance that induces a DTH response comprises mumps antigen, candida antigen, or trichophyton antigen. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising before step (a) administering the substance that induces a DTH response to the patient to develop a sensitivity to the substance in the patient. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the herpes simplex virus is HSV type 1. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the herpes simplex virus is HSV type 2. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (a) comprises administering the substance that induces a DTH response at the site of an HSV lesion on or adjacent to the lip of the patient. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (a) comprises administering the substance that induces a DTH response at the site of an HSV lesion on the genitals of the patient. 
     
     
         16 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 (b) locally administering an immune response enhancer to the patient at the site of the HSV lesion before or during the DTH response at the site of the lesion. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the immune response enhancer is a cytokine. 
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the immune response enhancer is imiquimod or resiquimod. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method decreases time to healing of lesions in a subsequent outbreak of the HSV infection after step (a) by at least 30%. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method increases time between outbreaks by at least 4-fold. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method at least doubles stimulation index of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from a patient in a proliferation test with stimulation of proliferation by killed HSV particles as compared to the stimulation index of PBMC from the patient before treatment. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method comprises:
 (a) locally administering a substance that induces a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to a patient at a site of an HSV lesion to induce a DTH response at the site of the lesion during one outbreak of the HSV infection; 
 wherein the method does not comprise administering a substance that induces a DTH response to the patient at a site of an HSV lesion to induce a DTH response at the site of the lesion during another outbreak within 3 months before or after the one outbreak. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method comprises:
 (a) locally administering a substance that induces a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to a patient at a site of an HSV lesion to induce a DTH response at the site of the lesion during two or more outbreaks of the HSV infection within 6 months. 
 
     
     
         28 . A medical use of a substance capable of inducing a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response in humans to prepare a medicament effective to reduce the frequency or severity of subsequent herpes simplex virus (HSV) outbreaks in a patient with HSV infection. 
     
     
         29 . The medical use of claim  17  wherein the substance is a topical contact sensitizer capable of inducing a DTH response in humans when administered topically. 
     
     
         30 . The medical use of claim  17  wherein the substance is an antigen capable of inducing a DTH response in humans when injected intradermally.