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

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Amanda Zhu

Throughout history, people have attributed warts to contact with things

在歷史上，人一直認為會長疣 是因為接觸海面泡沫、

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

煮蛋的水，當然，還有蟾蜍。

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

我們現在知道，蟾蜍完全是無辜的。

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

牠們表皮凹凸不平是因為皮膚上 佈滿分泌黏液和毒素的腺體。

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

且我們發現，疣其實 是乳突病毒造成的。

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

這些病毒所形成的廣大家族 會感染許多物種，

包括我們。

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

人類乳突病毒有兩百多種不同類型，

or HPVs.

稱為 HPV。

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

和所有病毒一樣，

HPV 無法獨立繁殖。

Instead, HPVs use our skin cells to replicate.

HPV 改用我們的 皮膚細胞來進行複製。

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

它們的做法是感染基底細胞，

基底細胞會不斷製造新皮膚細胞

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

並墊在我們皮膚最外層， 也就是表皮層的基底下面。

Your skin is your largest organ.

皮膚是人最大的器官。

It functions like a waterproof, active immune barrier

它的功能就像是種防水的免疫屏障，

that protects your body from the many pathogens

能保護身體對抗許多種不斷 準備突破屏障的病原體，

perpetually poised to penetrate it.

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

如果有任何 HPV 真的通過了 皮膚最外層的監控系統，

it can activate a barrage of defenses.

可能就會觸動一系列的防禦機制。

But sometimes, HPVs still make it through.

但有時，HPV 仍然可以成功通過。

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

在下列情況，這類病毒比較有機會 一路闖到皮膚的基底細胞層：

when your skin is wet, softened, or injured,

當你的皮膚是濕的、 軟的，或受傷時，

even with the tiniest of cuts.

即使是最小割傷也算。

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

最可能長疣的地方是手和腳，

because they're most likely to encounter foreign surfaces

因為手腳最有可能 接觸到外物的表面，

and get superficially injured,

表皮也較可能受傷，

especially in shared, wet environments like shower rooms.

特別是在共用、潮濕的環境中，

如淋浴間。

Once HPV reaches your skin's basal cell layer,

一旦 HPV 抵達皮膚的基底細胞層，

it unleashes its genome,

就會釋放它的基因組，

which instructs the basal cells to multiply at higher rates,

指示基底細胞用更快的速度繁殖，

defer cell death, and replicate the virus.

延遲細胞死亡，並複製病毒。

From there, the infected skin cells proliferate,

受感染的皮膚細胞會從那裡增生，

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

隨著它們向皮膚表面 移動而逐漸堆積，

forming that telltale wart.

形成明顯的疣。

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

但，疣看起來會是什麼樣子

取決於幾個因子。

It's not totally clear why,

還不完全清楚為什麼，

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

但似乎不同型的 HPV 會感染不同的身體部位，

cause unique-looking warts, and range in seriousness.

造成外觀獨特的疣， 且嚴重程度各異。

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

常見的疣通常是圓頂狀， 出現在手、手肘，和膝蓋上。

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

足部疣出現在腳底， 走路可能會將它們壓扁，

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

絲狀疣出現在嘴巴和眼睛周圍；

扁平疣出現在腿上和臉上。

Warts can also feature little black dots,

疣上也可能會有小黑點，

which are actually tiny blood clots where capillaries in the skin

小黑點其實是小血塊，

位在皮膚中毛細血管 被阻塞的地方。

have become obstructed.

Regardless of how exactly the wart forms,

無論疣是如何形成的，

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

當構成疣的受感染皮膚細胞死亡時，

they release thousands of HPVs.

會釋放出數千個 HPV。

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

這就是為什麼，理論上，一個疣 就可以感染身體的其他部位——

or other people, directly or indirectly.

或感染其他人， 直接或間接都有可能。

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

然而，這種情況發生的可能性

取決於 HPV 的種類，

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

以及該種 HPV 最會感染 身體的哪個部位。

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

大部分的 HPV 會感染皮膚的 不同區域，造成良性疣。

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

然而，有些 HPV 更喜歡 人體的黏膜上皮細胞，

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

黏膜上皮細胞是柔軟濕潤的組織， 覆蓋我們的生殖、

消化，及呼吸道。

and respiratory tracts.

These HPVs are the most common sexually transmitted infections.

這些 HPV 是最常見的性行為感染。

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

雖然它們通常是良性的，

卻很可能很持久，

and some types can cause cancers.

某些類型可能還會導致癌症。

Doctors might recommend topical or surgical treatment

醫生可能會建議用局部治療 或外科治療來處理這些感染。

for these infections.

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

而 HPV 疫苗幾乎可以 100% 預防感染

from the riskiest HPV types became available in 2006.

2006 年起就已經有疫苗 能預防風險最高的 HPV，

The body often keeps HPV at bay

身體通常會把 HPV 擋在外面，

or resolves infections within a couple of years.

或在幾年內解決感染。

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

但有些人較容易受到影響，

且有些類型的 HPV 會更持久。

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

處理肉類和魚類的人 會接觸到特定類型的 HPV。

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

一般認為兒童和老年人 更容易受到 HPV 感染，

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

因為他們的皮膚通常較薄，

他們的免疫防禦系統 也比較沒有組織。

And compromised immunity or skin flora—

受損的免疫系統或皮膚菌群——

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

成因包括抽菸、化療、

人體免疫不全病毒，及遺傳變異——

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

可能會讓身體更難抑制 HPV 感染。

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

雖然大部分的疣都無害，

不用處理就會自行消失， 但到頭來還是傳染病，

they're still contagious,

and dermatologists have methods to help the body clear them.

皮膚科醫生有些方法 可以幫助身體清除它們。

Some treatments work by stimulating the immune system directly,

有些治療方法是直接刺激免疫系統，

while others— like salicylic acid and cryotherapy—

其他的——如水楊酸和冷凍治療——

irritate the infected area, indirectly activating an immune response.

則是刺激受感染的區域，

間接啟動免疫反應。

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

謝天謝地，要解決我們 對疣的擔憂，選擇很多，

and simply no need to slander toads.

不需要牽拖蟾蜍。