A study published recently in Medicine (Baltimore) assessed the efficacy and safety of combined high-dose interferon (IFN) and red light therapy for the treatment of subclinical and latent human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. The study randomized 90 women with subclinical or latent HPV infection to topical application of low-dose recombinant IFNα-2b (1 million IU), high-dose IFNα-2b (9 million IU), or a combination of high-dose IFNα-2b and red light therapy on the cervix and vagina. The treatment was given once daily for 4 weeks. HPV titer was monitored immediately and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment and the rates of viral clearance and infection cure were analyzed. Treatment of HPV-associated vaginitis and cervicitis was also evaluated.Immediately and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment, the HPV clearance rates and infection cure rates were noted to be higher in the high-dose IFN and combination groups compared to the low-dose IFN group. High-dose IFN and combination therapies were found to be have significant efficacy against both low-risk and high-risk HPV infections. Although the cure rates for vaginitis and cervicitis were significantly higher in the high- compared to the low-dose IFN group, rates were even higher in the combination group compared to the high-dose IFN group. There were mild adverse effects reported by a very small subset of patients (3/30) in the combination group.Combination of high-dose IFN and red light therapy was thus found to be safe and effective against subclinical and latent HPV infections.