Response to Replacement Iron Therapy in Sideropenic Individuals with Recrudescent Herpes Labialis

Abstract

 This study investigated the effects of iron replacement on the incidence of recurrent herpes labialis and serum ferritin levels in patients with sideropenia. Ten patients with diagnosed sideropenia and a history of recrudescent herpes labialis were prescribed ferrous sulphate for a period of 3 months. Patients were questioned on the number of episodes of recrudescent herpes labialis that developed per month before treatment and the number of episodes of recrudescent herpes labialis that developed per month after the commencement of replacement iron therapy and during the follow-up period. All blood samples were collected by venipuncture for assay of ferritin levels. Serum ferritin levels were significantly increased compared to pretreatment levels (P<0.05). The number of monthly episodes of recrudescent herpes labialis was reduced from 0.78 to 0.2 episodes per month following treatment (P<0.05). The findings of this study suggest that iron replacement therapy should be further studied as a treatment option in sideropenic individuals with frequent recurrences of recrudescent herpes labialis.