Inflammatory changes in verruca vulgaris

Forty-one (8%) of 500 randomly selected biopsy specimens in verruca vulgaris showed evidence of inflammation. The inflammation was lymphocytic and lichenoid in 21 specimens and was associated with papillary hemorrhage and infarction in 23. Clinical review indicated that patients of all ages were represented but that there was a predominance of verrucae of the extremities in older patients. The data suggest the possibility of a distinct solitary acral verruca in the elderly.