Pediatric anogenital warts: a 7-year review of children referred to a tertiary-care hospital in Montreal, Canada

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to delineate the clinical characteristics of a hospital-referred pediatric population infected with anogenital warts and to investigate the possible relationships between human papillomavirus types and the identified clinical characteristics. Over a 7-year period, 72 patients under the age of 12 years were seen at our dermatology clinic for anogenital warts, corresponding to a prevalence of 1.7/1000 in our patient population. Sixty-four percent (46/72) were girls. Congenital, prenatal, ascending infections occurred in two subjects. The onset of anogenital warts occurred before age 2 in 28% and between 2 and 6 years of age in 62% of children and tended to be younger in boys. We identified unusual cutaneomucosal serotypes human papillomavirus 7 and 57 (three and eight instances, respectively). The modes of transmission of anogenital warts in children cannot be identified either by the clinical appearance of the lesions or by human papillomavirus typing. We conclude that the best way to identify possible sexual abuse is still by history taking, careful assessment of the socio-clinical context, and physical examination.