Warts are caused by a virus called the human papilloma virus (HPV). They are very common, school children and those with a weak immune system being particularly at risk. Research suggests between 10 and 30 per cent of children and teenagers have warts at any given time, and most people will have a wart at some point during their lifetime.
There are more than 100 strains of HPV and several different types of wart, for example, warts on the sole of the foot, which are referred to medically as verruca plantaris.
Warts are highly contagious, that is, they are easily passed on to other people. In addition to the virus being passed on by direct skin-to-skin contact, it may be passed from person to person indirectly, for example, by sharing towels and shoes, or at swimming pools. Wet, soft, cut and exposed skin is more prone to infection by HPV.
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