Low-Level Laser Therapy for Herpesvirus Infections: A Narrative Literature Review

Herpesvirus infection has a variety of clinical forms and is extremely widespread in the world while existing treatment methods are not always quite effective. The search for new treatment modalities is a relevant problem and numerous studies show the therapeutic effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on different herpesvirus types.

The mechanisms of laser light action and the impact of LLLT on the pathological pathways of herpes infections are described. A narrative review of the relevant papers is conducted.

The reviewed studies confirm that LLLT is a potential prospective treatment method for patients infected with the herpesvirus. However, it is necessary to improve the methodology and optimize the combination of laser action with antiviral medications.

The review shows that it is most effective to combine laser impact on skin lesions with the application of topical antiviral gels or creams, additionally using a combined procedure of laser ultraviolet blood illumination (LUVBI, 365-405 nm) + intravenous laser blood irradiation (ILBI, 525 nm).