title: Mucocutaneous warts in children: clinical presentations, risk factors, and response to treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human papillomaviruses (HPV) cause cutaneous and mucosal infections in both adults and children. Warts are very common in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients younger than 13 presenting with cutaneous warts in a 1-year period at Farwaniya Hospital in Kuwait were included in the study. In addition, their parents completed a questionnaire about possible environmental risk factors for warts. The treatment modalities used and their outcomes were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study included 2,916 children with warts. Common warts affected male patients more frequently. Warts were mostly located on the hands, in 1,172 patients (40.19%), followed by the feet in 1,096 patients (37.59%). Frequently associated environmental factors were walking barefoot, using a swimming pool, or having a family member with warts. The first-line treatment used was cryotherapy, followed by topical salicylic acid preparations. A total of 2,128 (72.98%) patients were cleared of their warts, and 232 (10.90%) patients had a recurrence. The cure rate in patients with hand warts was slightly higher than with warts on the feet (78.67% versus 70.52%). Treatment side effects were a complaint of 1,796 (61.59%) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of warts is lowest among children less than 6 years old. No particular therapy has been confirmed to be effective at achieving complete remission in every patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of medical sciences, Medicine, University of Kuwait, and Department of Dermatology, Farwaniya Hospital, P.O. Box 280, Farwaniya 80000, Kuwait. nalmut@usa.net
authors.forename: Nawaf
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Al-Mutairi
authors.forename: Manar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: AlKhalaf
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009092:Mucous Membrane; D012307:Risk Factors; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014860:Warts / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*