الفهرس 
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Abstract
P
lantarwarts are a common dermatological disease caused by HPV types 1, 2 or 4. Humoral immunity provides sufficient protection against HPV infection. If the infection does develop, innate and adaptive cell mediated immunity is important for the eventual elimination of the infection. However, the reasons for apparent failure of the immune system in otherwise healthy individuals to clear warts for months or years remains incompletely understood. Viral warts among these individuals do not respond to conventional therapies or soon recur after destructive procedures and persist for months and years.
Zinc has an important effect on the immune system. A deficiency of zinc has an adverse effect on cell mediated immunity as it plays a very important role in the functions of humanT-cells. In addition it has been used as an immune-modulator to treat a viral infection by having an effect on the synthesis of cytokines.
The present study aimed to evaluate serum zinc level in patients with plantar warts in comparison to controls. It included 100 subjects; 50 patients with plantar warts divided into 2 equally distributed subgroups; subgroup 1 (25 patients) with newly diagnosed plantar warts and subgroup 2 (25 patients) with persistent plantar warts and 50 age and sex matched healthy controls.
Each patient was subjected to a detailed history taking and examination to determine site and number of plantar warts. Blood samples were taken from all subjects to assess serum zinc levels. Comparison between serum zinc levels were done between all patients and controls as well as between both patients’ subgroups. Correlation between serum zinc levels and disease duration were also done.
The results obtained in the present study revealed significantly lower serum levels of zinc in patients with plantar warts when compared with controls, and it was significantlylower in patients with persistent plantar warts when compared to patients with newly diagnosed plantar warts. Serum zinc levels were inversely correlated with disease duration. Moreover, linear regression showed that there was a statistically highly significant relation between serum zinc levels and persistence of disease.
Further studies are recommended to evaluate the role of zinc supplements in patients with plantar warts, whether recent onset or persistent plantar warts.