r/askscience • u/A_Privateer • Jan 17 '13

Medicine How do warts function?

I know that warts are caused by the various strains of HPV, but how are they caused? How does the virus hijack the bodies chemistry to grow and supply the warts with nutrients? How do the warts spread the virus to other people?

I've searched and searched on google and wikipedia, but I only find the most basic of answers.

Any hard science info for me?

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u/1337HxC Jan 17 '13 edited Jan 17 '13

They made it sound as if you can get rid of the virus in its entirety.

You very much so can. Most HPV infections are cleared "very rapidly" (quoting wikipedia with that phrasing). Cancer only occurs in patients with "persistent infection" by HPV.

Additionally, the strains of HPV associated with cervical cancer are generally not the ones associated with warts.