Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Viral warts are benign epidermal proliferations resulting from infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Objective: This study aimed to determine the potential utility of evaluating serum vitamin B12, ferritin and iron in patients with viral warts. Methods: This case–control study was conducted at the Dermatology, Andrology & Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) Outpatient Clinics on 60 participants divided into two groups: Group I included 30 patients with clinically diagnosed viral warts. Group II composed of 30 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals as controls. Serum vitamin B12 and ferritin levels were measured using ELISA kits, and serum iron was assessed by the colorimetric ferrozine method. Results: Plantar warts showed the highest mean vitamin B12 levels and genital warts the lowest, serum vitamin B12 was the only significant predictor of viral warts, with each 1 pg/mL increase reducing the odds by about 1%. Conclusions: Our findings highlighted the potential role of vitamin B12 in HPV susceptibility and suggest that assessing B12 status could aid in managing recurrent or resistant warts.
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4417533812
FWCI:
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: