Acitretin in management of diffuse common warts: a case report

Warts are among the most commonly observed dermatological diseases, caused by human papilloma virus (HPV), usually HPV1-2 subtypes; HPV4-7 are rarely found and mostly related to professional exposure (butchers and dairy workers). Different therapeutical approaches are possible, depending on extension and severity of lesions. The present authors describe the case of 32-year-old Caucasian man, who came to our attention for the presence of numerous exophytic papules on the back of both hands and over periungual regions, which appeared about 6 months before. Histological examination confirmed the clinical suspicion of common warts (HPV4). The patient underwent therapy by acitretin for 12 weeks, obtaining during the 8th week of therapy complete resolution of skin lesions. The present authors present this case for the unusual local aggressiveness of viral warts in an immunocompetent patient successfully treated with acitetrin.