Viral Warts

Many different forms of viral warts (ICD-10 B07) can be distinguished.

Viral warts are mainly caused by human papillomaviruses. The virus belongs to the Papovaviridae family.

Warts are benign skin and mucous membrane growths. They include:

  • Verruca vulgaris (vulgar wart; HPV 2, 4).
  • Verruca plantaris (synonyms: Plantar wart, deep plantar wart/foot wart, Myrmecia; HPV 1, 4).
  • Verruca plana (flat wart; HPV 3, 10, 28, 41
  • Mosaic warts (HPV 2)
  • Filiform warts (thin, filiform warts; HPV 7; common in butchers).
  • Focal epithelial hyperplasia (HPV 13, 32).
  • Conjunctival papillomas (HPV 6, 11) – papillomas on the conjunctivae.
  • Dell warts (synonyms: Dell’s wart, epithelioma molluscum, epithelioma contagiosum, molluscum, molluscum contagiosum; pl. mollusca contagiosa); although molluscum is not counted as a wart (verruccae), for the sake of completeness it should be included under the chapter “Viral warts”. Pathogen: Molluscum contagiosum virus (from the family of poxviruses), an enveloped, double-stranded DNA virus, dsDNA.

However, some show a tendency to degenerate. These include:

  • Epidermolysis verruciformis (flat warts (HPV 5, 8, 14, 17, 20, 47).
  • Condyloma acuminatum (synonyms: lace condyloma/peak condyloma, pointed condyloma, condyloma/fever warts, wet warts, and genital warts; HPV 6, 11, 40, 42, 43, 44).
  • Condyloma planum (flat condyloma; HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, etc.)
  • Giant condyloma (HPV 6, 11)
  • Laryngx papilloma (HPV 6, 11) – papillomas in the area of the larynx.
  • Bowenoid papulosis (HPV 16, 18).
  • Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (HPV 16, 18, 31, 45).

Pathogen reservoir is humans.

The contagiosity (infectiousness or transmissibility of the pathogen) is high.

The pathogen is transmitted by direct or indirect skin contact (especially in swimming pools, saunas, etc.).

The pathogen enters the body through the smallest skin lesions.

Human-to-human transmission: Yes

Incubation period (time from infection to onset of disease) is at least four weeks to several months.Incubation period for Condylomata acuminata averages 3 months (from 3 weeks to 18 months).Incubation period for Molluscum contagiosum virus is 2-7 weeks.

Sex ratio: balanced

Peak incidence: the maximum incidence of warts is between the ages of 10 and 14, and between the ages of 20 and 29.

The prevalence (disease incidence) is up to ten percent in Germany; in children 5-10%.

It is assumed that everyone suffers from a wart at least once during their lifetime.

A vaccination against HPV 6, 11, 16, 18 available. Girls between the ages of 12 and 17 should be vaccinated to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer.

Course and prognosis: Warts usually resolve on their own within a few years. In children, two-thirds of all warts disappear within 2 years, both with and without specific therapy. However, warts often recur again and again (recurrent).