Is a common wart an HPV carrier?
Common warts are caused by HPV, the human papillomavirus, which infects the skin and mucous membranes, causing benign growths that appear as various types of warts. Clinically common types include ordinary warts, flat warts, plantar warts, and genital warts, among others. Common warts are also known as verruca vulgaris, predominantly caused by HPV type 2, and they mainly occur between the ages of 5 and 20 but can also appear in other age groups. Due to autoinoculation, they can occur on any part of the body, primarily on the hands. Common precipitating factors include hand injuries or conditions involving swelling and soaking. Typical lesions are the size of a soybean or larger, grey-brown, brown, or flesh-colored papules with a rough surface, hard texture, and may have a cauliflower-like or papillomatous growth.