Do Warts Come from Frogs and Toads?

A lot of us were told as kids when we caught these fun amphibians with our hands that we would get warts so is that truly the case or just a myth? Let’s find out!

According to the University of Georgia there is no scientific evidence of any toad causing warts.

Toads have warty skin and some of the bumps on their skin produce poisonous substances and many frogs have glands on their skin that produce toxins.

Warts are actually caused by viruses and not the secretions of which the frog produces from its “warts”. However, some secretions from the frogs and toads bodies can irritate your skin and even give you a rash!

There are over fifty different types of warts and according to Ripley’s Believe It or Not none of them are caused by frogs nor toads. They instead are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) which can cause multiplication of the cells outside your skin which then causes a bump or “wart” to appear.

Warts are not dangerous though and treating them isn’t usually a problem.

It’s always still a good idea to sanitize your hands after handling these creatures according to the University of Georgia because even though they cannot give you warts they still can secrete toxins. The Common Gray Tree Frog produces a toxin from their skin and it causes extreme discomfort if it gets into the eyes and nose!

So, I am just curious after all this research do you guys believe it’s a fact or a myth?

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