A Ten Year Review of Verrucae: A Hospital-Based Study in South-South Nigeria

Verrucae are benign contagious epithelial tumours caused by human papilloma viruses (HPV). They can cause cosmetic concerns and stigmatization on one hand while on the other hand, they have the rare potential to transform into a malignant lesion. Despite this, there exists a dearth of data of their exact frequency in our environment in particular and in Nigeria in general. The aim of this study therefore, was to determine the frequency, age and sex distribution of the verrucae at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo State. This was a descriptive cross-sectional retrospective st st study of all cases of Verrucae diagnosed histologically between 1 of January 2004 to 31 of September, 2013. The data obtained from this study was analysed using descriptive statistics (i.e. measures of frequency [counts, percent and frequency], measures of central tendency [mean and median] and measures of variations [range and standard deviations]). Forty-one cases of Verrucae were seen during the 10 year study period. Sixteen of these cases occurred in males while 25 occurred in females giving a male to female ratio of 1:1.6. The mean age for Verrucae was 37.63 years (SD = 19.62). The most common variant was the Verruca vulgaris. There was no case of malignant transformation. Verrucae exist in our environment affecting more of the teenage and young age groups with preponderance in females.