CLINICO-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF WARTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

BACKGROUND Warts, which are also called as Verrucae are the commonest viral infections encountered in the dermatology practice. Warts are caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). We wanted to study the clinical and epidemiological aspects of warts and determine the distribution of warts in relation to age, sex, occupation and socioeconomic status. METHODS The present study was conducted in a sample of 200 clinically diagnosed cases of Warts attending the outpatient Department of DVL. A clinico-epidemiological study was undertaken in a sample of 200 clinically diagnosed cases of Warts selected randomly from patients attending the outpatient Department of DVL. RESULTS The maximum distribution was noted in the age group of 11-20 years of life (34%). In the present study, males were found to be predominantly affected with a male to female ratio of 2.03: 1. In the present study, common warts were the most common type with 106 cases (53%) followed by plantar warts 23 (11.5%), flat warts 22 (11%), genital warts 20 (10%), periungual warts 11 (5.5%), palmar warts 9 (4.5%), filiform warts 5 (2.5%) and digitate warts 4 (2%). In the present study, most common sites involved were extremities which is observed in 128 cases (64%) followed by face in 32 cases (16%), anogenital area in 20 cases (10%), neck in 11 cases (5.5%). Least common site involved was scalp 2 cases (1%) followed by trunk in 6 cases (3%). Diffuse involvement of warts is seen in one patient. In the current study, 7 patients (3.5%) were found to be seropositive for HIV. CONCLUSIONS Warts are the commonest viral infections which are encountered in the Dermatology speciality. Warts were more common among children than adults. Mean age of presentation was 24.98 years. The Age group most commonly affected was 11-20 years with 68 cases (34%) followed by 21-30 years with 56 cases (28%). Males were (67%) more commonly affected than females (33%). Male to female ratio was 2.03: 1. Extremities were the most common sites involved (64%) followed by face (16%), anogenital area (10%) and neck (5.5%). Scalp was the least common site involved (1%) followed by trunk (3%). Common warts were the commonest type with 106 cases (53%) followed by plantar warts 23 (11.5%), flat warts 22 (11%), genital warts 20 (10%), periungual warts 11 (5.5%), palmar warts 9 (4.5%), filiform warts 5 (2.5%), digitate warts (2%). Multiple site involvement was common among children.