Sexually transmitted papillomaviral infections: V. Prophylactic use of topical 5-fluorouracil in refractory infection in the male.

The topical administration of 5% fluorouracil (Efudex) was used on 60 males afflicted with recurrent papillomaviral infection, all partners of women with proved HPV disease. The overall response to the medication was 84 percent (total plus partial responses) for those patients afflicted with mixed disease of the shaft, compared with the subclinical and exophytic varieties with 70 and 67 percent response, respectively. Because HPV infections tend to be a field phenomenon involving the entire lower genital tract, this simple form of treatment, that is locally applied with few side effects, appears to be ideal for the management, prophylaxis, and treatment of recurrent disease.