What are warts — and how do you get rid of them? - Cella Wright

翻译人员: Liwen Huang 校对人员: Yanyan Hong

Throughout history, people have attributed warts to contact with things

有史以来，人们将疣归因于与 海洋泡沫、煮蛋水，

like sea foam, boiled egg water, and, of course, toads.

当然，还有蟾蜍等物的接触。

We now know that toads are totally innocent in the matter.

我们现在知道蟾蜍 在这件事上完全是无辜的。

They're bumpy because mucus- and poison- secreting glands dot their skin.

它们看起来疙疙瘩瘩的，是因为皮肤上 布满了分泌粘液和毒液的腺体。

And we've figured out that warts are actually caused by papillomaviruses.

我们已经清楚疣其实是 由乳头状瘤病毒引起的。

They form a broad virus family that infects various species, including us.

它们形成了一个广泛的病毒家族， 感染包括我们在内的各个物种。

There are more than 200 different types of specifically human papillomaviruses,

有 200 多种不同类型的特定人乳头状瘤病毒

or HPVs.

简称 HPV 。

As is the case with all viruses, HPVs can't multiply independently.

与所有病毒一样， HPV 不能独立繁殖，

Instead, HPVs use our skin cells to replicate.

而是利用我们的皮肤细胞进行复制。

They do this by infecting the basal cells that constantly produce new skin cells

它们通过感染基底细胞进行复制。 基底细胞不断产生新的皮肤细胞，

and line the base of our skin's outermost layer, the epidermis.

排列形成皮肤最外层，既表皮的基底。

Your skin is your largest organ.

皮肤是最大的器官。

It functions like a waterproof, active immune barrier

它就像一个防水、活跃的免疫屏障，

that protects your body from the many pathogens

保护身体免受许多 随时可能穿透皮肤的

perpetually poised to penetrate it.

病原体的侵害。

If any HPVs do make it past the skin's outermost surveillance system,

如果有 HPV 穿过了 皮肤最外层的监视系统，

it can activate a barrage of defenses.

就能激活一连串的防御。

But sometimes, HPVs still make it through.

但有时，HPV 还是能成功。

They have a better chance of getting all the way to the skin's basal cell layer

HPV 更有可能一路进到 皮肤的基底细胞层，

when your skin is wet, softened, or injured,

当皮肤潮湿、软化或受伤时，

even with the tiniest of cuts.

即使是最细微的伤口。

You're most likely to develop warts on your hands and feet

手和脚最有可能长疣，

because they're most likely to encounter foreign surfaces

因为它们最有可能碰到异物表面

and get superficially injured,

受皮外伤，

especially in shared, wet environments like shower rooms.

特别是在像淋浴房那样 共享、潮湿的环境中。

Once HPV reaches your skin's basal cell layer,

HPV 一旦到了皮肤的基底细胞层，

it unleashes its genome,

就会释放其基因组，

which instructs the basal cells to multiply at higher rates,

从而指令基底细胞以更快的速度繁殖，

defer cell death, and replicate the virus.

延迟细胞死亡并复制病毒。

From there, the infected skin cells proliferate,

由此，被感染的皮肤细胞迅速繁殖，

piling up as they move towards the skin's surface,

朝皮肤表面堆积，

forming that telltale wart.

形成显示 HPV 感染的疣。

But what exactly the wart looks like depends on a few factors.

但疣究竟长什么样取决于几个因素。

It's not totally clear why,

虽然原因尚不完全清楚，

but different HPV types tend to infect different parts of the body,

但是不同的 HPV 类型往往会 感染身体的不同部位，

cause unique-looking warts, and range in seriousness.

导致样子独特、严重程度不一的疣。

Common warts are often domed and found on hands, elbows, and knees;

寻常疣通常为圆顶状， 见于手、肘和膝盖；

plantar warts occur on the soles of feet, where walking may flatten them;

跖疣发生在足底， 走路可能会使它们变平；

filiform warts, around the mouth and eyes; and flat warts, on the legs and face.

丝状疣发于唇周和眼周； 扁平疣发于腿部和面部。

Warts can also feature little black dots,

疣还可能有小黑点，

which are actually tiny blood clots where capillaries in the skin

这些黑点实际上是极小的血块，

have become obstructed.

皮肤里的毛细血管堵塞的地方。

Regardless of how exactly the wart forms,

不管疣到底是如何形成的，

when the infected skin cells it's made of die,

当构成疣的受感染的皮肤细胞死亡时，

they release thousands of HPVs.

它们会释放成千上万的 HPV。

This is why one wart can theoretically infect other parts of someone's body—

这就是为什么一个疣理论上 可以直接或间接地感染

or other people, directly or indirectly.

其它身体部位或其他人的原因。

However, the likelihood of this happening depends on what kind of HPV is involved

但是，感染的可能性 取决于涉及哪种 HPV，

and what part of the body it's best at infecting.

以及它最擅长感染身体的哪个部位。

Most HPVs infect different areas of the skin and cause benign warts.

大多数 HPV 感染 不同部位的皮肤并导致良性疣。

However, some HPVs prefer the body's mucosal epithelia,

但是，一些 HPV 更喜欢 人体的粘膜上皮，

the soft, moist tissues that line our reproductive, digestive,

既我们生殖道、消化道和呼吸道内

and respiratory tracts.

柔软、湿润的组织。

These HPVs are the most common sexually transmitted infections.

这些 HPV 是最常见的性传播感染。

And while they're also usually benign, they're more likely to be persistent

虽然它们通常也是良性的， 但它们更有可能持续存在，

and some types can cause cancers.

一些类型可能导致癌症。

Doctors might recommend topical or surgical treatment

医生可能会建议对这些感染

for these infections.

进行局部或手术治疗。

And HPV vaccines that are almost 100% effective in preventing infections

HPV 疫苗于 2006 问世， 几乎可以 100% 预防感染

from the riskiest HPV types became available in 2006.

风险最高的 HPV 类型。

The body often keeps HPV at bay

人体通常可以控制 HPV

or resolves infections within a couple of years.

或在几年内消除感染。

But some people are more susceptible, and some HPV types are more persistent.

但有些人更易受感染， 有些 HPV 类型更顽固。

Handling meat and fish puts people in contact with specific HPV types.

处理肉和鱼会使人 接触特定类型的 HPV。

Children and elderly people are thought to be more vulnerable to HPV infections

儿童和老年人被认为 更易受 HPV 感染，

because their skin tends to be thinner and have less organized immune defenses.

因为他们的皮肤往往更薄， 免疫防御能力也更弱。

And compromised immunity or skin flora—

由吸烟、化疗、艾滋病病毒 和基因变异等因素

caused by things like smoking, chemotherapy, HIV, and genetic variation—

引起的免疫力或皮肤菌群受损

can make it harder for the body to suppress HPV infections.

会使人体更难阻止 HPV 感染。

And although most warts are harmless and go away without intervention,

虽然大多数疣是无害的， 无需干预也会消失，

they're still contagious,

但它们仍然有传染性，

and dermatologists have methods to help the body clear them.

皮肤科医生有办法 帮助身体将它们清除。

Some treatments work by stimulating the immune system directly,

一些疗法通过直接刺激 免疫系统起作用，

while others— like salicylic acid and cryotherapy—

而另一些疗法，如水杨酸 和冷冻治疗，

irritate the infected area, indirectly activating an immune response.

会刺激感染区域， 间接激活免疫反应。

Thankfully, there are lots of options available in addressing our wart worries—

值得庆幸的是，我们有很多选择 来解决对疣的担忧，

and simply no need to slander toads.

而且根本没有必要诽谤蟾蜍。