Is it true that touching a toad causes warts?

There is widespread concern that warts will appear on the skin of a person who touches this amphibian. We decided to check whether toads are actually to blame for this.

In the mythology of many peoples, toads tied up with witchcraft, and this amphibian could be used as in rituals to attract wealth, prosperity, Good luck, and for guidance damage And diseases. Powder traditionally made from toad was considered indispensable ingredient witchcraft potions. And today people continue to treat these amphibians with distrust and fear. Psychologists even highlight separate type of phobia - bufonophobia, fear of toads and frogs. Many Internet users tell how in childhood they heard adults warn: if touch toad, then on the skin will appear warts 

Warts are benign neoplasms skin, which can occur on any part of the skin. Warts usually go away on their own (a process called regression), but in some cases your doctor may suggest removing them. To get rid of warts, both surgical methods and coagulation (cauterization) or destruction with liquid nitrogen are used.

Cause the occurrence of warts - human papillomavirus (HPV). Most often it is transmitted sexually or from mother to fetus, in some cases possible broadcast contact-household by, including through touch. Today scientists revealed And described more than 200 HPV genotypes. More than 660 million people in the world (12% of the total population of the planet) infected this virus.

Some types of HPV contribute the development of cancer of the cervix, external genitalia, penis, anus, oral cavity and pharynx. More 95% cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV. In 2020, there are 3,400 women in Russia got sick cervical cancer, 699 of them died, in 2021 identified more than 5000 cases. At the same time, there are types HPV with a low oncogenic risk, it is because of them that warts appear.

In this case, infection with any type of HPV optional accompanied by the appearance of warts. In order for the virus to manifest itself on the skin and mucous membranes, a catalyst is needed, for example, a deterioration in the functioning of the immune system. IN risk group children, people with chronic skin pathologies and people who have recently suffered from inflammatory diseases. A large number of physical contacts can also become a similar catalyst. This is why children who interact tactilely with each other and play sports together often face the problem of warts.

Exists There are several HPV vaccines that effectively prevent the negative effects caused by the virus. For example, there is a vaccine against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause more than 90% of genital warts, as well as against viruses with a high oncogenic risk (types 16, 18, 31, etc.). It is recommended to be vaccinated before the first sexual intercourse, but vaccination is also possible after the start of sexual activity.

The papilloma virus can occur in animals. Harald zur Hausen, physician and virologist who received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for study HPV and the identification of the connection of the virus with cervical cancer, in particular, isolated papillomaviruses from warts in rabbits. Papillomavirus can infect cats, dogs And others animals, including toads, but toads cannot infect humans with it. The human papillomavirus is transmitted from person to person, which, in principle, follows from its name. A toad infects a toad, a cat infects a cat, and a man infects a man.

So, by touching a toad, you definitely won’t be able to become infected with human papillomavirus and become covered in warts. However, this does not mean that you should touch every toad you encounter. Toxic secretions from their skin and mucous membranes can cause irritation to the human body. Moreover, toads can be carriers of the Salmonella bacterium, the causative agent of salmonellosis. The myth that toads get warts is most likely caused by the appearance of the animals: bumps on their skin - parotids - really look like warts, but In fact these are poisonous glands.

Cover image: Kuebi = Armin Kübelbeck, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Not true

What do our verdicts mean?

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