What is HPV?

• Warts are caused by HPV • HPV infects the skin and mucosal epithelia inducing epithelial hyperplasia leading to a wart • HPV infects the basal keratinocytes of cutaneous and mucosal epithelium • Transmission by skin-to-skin contact or surfaces or objects • There are more than 100 different types of HPV, and around 40 that affect the genital area • The type of HPV influences the wart morphology: • Verruca vulgaris: types 2, 4 • verruca plana: types 3, 10 • PP warts: type 1 • Genital warts: types 6-11, 16, 18, 31, 33