- Wart
- A local growth of the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis) caused by a virus. The virus of warts (a papillomavirus) is transmitted by contact. The contact can be with a wart on someone else or one on oneself (autoinoculation). Warts that occur on the hands or top of the feet are called "common warts." A wart on the sole (the plantar surface) of the foot is a plantar wart (and can be quite painful). Genital (venereal) warts are located on the genitals and are transmitted by sexual contact; they are a form of STD (sexually transmitted disease). Warts are nothing new. The word "wart" is from Old English. As far back as the 8th century, a "wart" was, well, a wart. The medical name for a wart is "verruca", the Latin for wart. A common wart is a "verruca vulgaris". A wart in medicine is also sometimes called by its Spanish name, "verruga".
* * *SYN: verruca.- anatomic w. SYN: postmortem w..- digitate w. SYN: verruca digitata.- filiform w. SYN: verruca filiformis.- fugitive w. a transitory w.; one that does not persist.- genital w. SYN: condyloma acuminatum.- mosaic w. plantar growth of numerous closely aggregated warts forming a mosaic appearance, frequently caused by human papillomavirus type 2.- Peruvian w. SYN: verruga peruana.- pitch w. a precancerous keratotic epidermal tumor, common among workers in pitch and coal tar derivatives. See pitch-worker's cancer.- plantar w. an often painful w. on the sole, usually caused by human papillomavirus type 1. SYN: verruca plantaris.- postmortem w. a tuberculous warty growth (tuberculosis cutis verrucosa) on the hand of one who performs postmortem examinations. SYN: anatomic tubercle, anatomic w..- telangiectatic w. SYN: angiokeratoma.- venereal w. SYN: condyloma acuminatum.
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wart 'wȯ(ə)rt n1) a horny projection on the skin usu. of the extremities produced by proliferation of the skin papillae and caused by any of numerous genotypes of the human papillomavirus see flat wart, genital wart, plantar wart, verruca vulgaris2) any of numerous warty skin lesions not caused by human papillomaviruses* * *
n.a benign growth on the skin caused by infection with human papillomavirus (a few of the many serotypes are oncogenic). Common warts are firm horny papules, 1-10 mm in diameter, found mainly on the hands. Most will clear spontaneously within two years. Plantar warts (or verrucae) occur on the soles and are often tender. Plane warts are flat and skin-coloured - and therefore difficult to see; they are usually found on the face and may be present in very large numbers. Genital warts are frequently associated with other genital infections and affected women have an increased risk of developing cervical cancer. Treatment of warts is with OTC (over-the-counter) remedies, such as lactic and salicylic acids, but cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen is probably more effective. Occasionally curettage and cautery are used: surgical excision is never indicated.* * *
(wort) [L. verruca] 1. a hyperplastic lesion of the skin or a mucous membrane caused by a human papillomavirus; called also verruca. 2. any of various nonviral epidermal proliferations resembling this lesion. warty adj
Periungual wart with disruption of nail growth.
Medical dictionary. 2011.
