Estrada-Parra S, Nagaya A, Serrano E, Rodriguez O, Santamaria V, Ondarza R, Chavez R, Correa B, Monges A, Cabezas R, Calva C, Estrada-Garcia I
Department of Immunology, National School of Biological Sciences, National Polytechnic Institute, Prol. Carpio Y Plan de Ayala, Mexico, D.F.
Int J Immunopharmacol. 1998 Oct;20(10):521-35. doi: 10.1016/s0192-0561(98)00031-9.
Reactivation of varicella herpes virus (VHV), latent in individuals who have previously suffered varicella, gives rise to herpes zoster and in some cases leads to a sequela of post herpetic neuritis with severe pain which is refractory to analgesics. Many different antiviral agents have been tried without achieving satisfactory results. Of all the antiviral agents employed, acyclovir has been the most successful in reducing post herpetic pain. However acyclovir has not been as reliable as interferon alpha (IFN-alpha). We have previously looked into the use of transfer factor (TF) as a modulator of the immune system, specifically with respect to its effectiveness in the treatment of herpes zoster. In this work findings from a comparative clinical evaluation are presented. A double blind clinical trial of TF vs acyclovir was carried out in which 28 patients, presenting acute stage herpes zoster, were randomly assigned to either treatment group. Treatment was administered for seven days and the patients were subsequently submitted to daily clinical observation for an additional 14 days. An analogue visual scale was implemented in order to record pain and thereby served as the clinical parameter for scoring results. The group treated with TF was found to have a more favorable clinical course, P < or = 0.015. Laboratory tests to assess the immune profile of the patients were performed two days prior and 14 days after initial treatment. The results of these tests showed an increase in IFN-gamma levels, augmentation in the CD4+ cell population but not the percentage of T rosettes in the TF treated group. These parameters were however insignificantly modified in patients receiving acyclovir. Although TF treated patients showed an increase in CD4+ counts these cells remained below the levels for healthy individuals. The fact that IFN-gamma levels as well as the counts for CD4+ cells rose in the TF treated group and not in the acyclovir one is very significant and confirms the immunomodulating properties of TF.
水痘疱疹病毒（VHV）在既往患过水痘的个体中潜伏，其再激活会引发带状疱疹，在某些情况下会导致疱疹后神经痛后遗症，伴有严重疼痛，对镇痛药难治。许多不同的抗病毒药物都曾试过，但未取得满意结果。在所有使用过的抗病毒药物中，阿昔洛韦在减轻疱疹后疼痛方面最为成功。然而，阿昔洛韦不如α干扰素（IFN-α）可靠。我们之前研究过转移因子（TF）作为免疫系统调节剂的用途，特别是其在治疗带状疱疹方面的有效性。本文展示了一项比较临床评估的结果。进行了TF与阿昔洛韦的双盲临床试验，28例急性期带状疱疹患者被随机分配到两个治疗组。治疗持续7天，随后对患者进行额外14天的每日临床观察。采用模拟视觉量表记录疼痛，以此作为评分结果的临床参数。结果发现，接受TF治疗的组临床病程更有利，P≤0.015。在初始治疗前两天和14天后对患者进行实验室检测以评估免疫状况。这些检测结果显示，TF治疗组的IFN-γ水平升高，CD4+细胞群体增加，但T玫瑰花结百分比未增加。然而，接受阿昔洛韦治疗的患者这些参数变化不显著。尽管接受TF治疗的患者CD4+计数增加，但这些细胞仍低于健康个体水平。TF治疗组而非阿昔洛韦治疗组的IFN-γ水平以及CD4+细胞计数升高，这一事实非常显著，证实了TF的免疫调节特性。
