Does HPV biotype influence the characteristics and evolution of plantar warts?

Abstract

Background Few studies have addressed the relationship of human papillomavirus (HPV) biotypes to patient characteristics and the clinical signs, course, and response to the treatment of plantar warts.

Objective Analyze the HPV types associated with plantar warts and their relationship with warts characteristics, patient characteristics and response to treatment.

Methods A total of 372 patients sampled for hyperkeratosis of a plantar wart were included. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect the HPV biotype.

Results The prevalence of HPV was 81.2%, and HPV1 was the most prevalent biotype (36.1%). HPV1 was the most prevalent biotype in patients < 70 years old (90.9% in < 10 years), and biotypes 2, 19 and 27 were the most prevalent in patients > 70 years old (p = 0.012). HPV1 was the most frequent in patients with one (39,9%) or two (47.1%) warts and HPV5 (33.3%) in patients with three warts (p < 0.001). Cure, spontaneous resolution, and recurrence were higher in HPV1 (p < 0.001). HPV14 warts healed the fastest (2 months quartile 1–3 (2.0–2.0)), and HPV5 (10.977 (6.0–20.0)) and HPV27 (7.5 (3.0–10.0)) warts (p = 0.033) took the longest to heal.

Conclusions HPV biotype is associated with age and the number of warts and appears to influence the natural history of warts and their response to treatment.