“You can get warts from touching frogs or toads.”

It's a common childhood warning: don't touch that frog, or you'll get warts! This long-standing belief has likely hopped through generations, stemming from the bumpy, warty appearance of some amphibians' skin. It's easy to see how one might connect the rough texture of a toad's back with the similarly rough growths on human skin. However, despite their outward resemblance, the cause of warts in humans is entirely unrelated to these fascinating creatures.

The truth is, warts are caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV, a virus that is transmitted from person to person. Frogs and toads simply do not carry the human papillomavirus and therefore cannot transmit it to us. The bumps on their skin are glands, often used for defense by secreting substances that can be irritating to predators, but these secretions pose no threat of causing warts in humans. So, while it's always wise to wash your hands after handling any animal, you won't be sprouting warts from a friendly frog encounter.

This enduring misconception likely persists because it offers a simple, albeit incorrect, explanation for a common skin condition. The visual similarity between a toad's skin and a human wart creates a compelling, if unscientific, link in many people's minds. Understanding the actual cause of warts, the human papillomavirus, helps to demystify this old wives' tale and allows us to appreciate amphibians for the unique and harmless creatures they are, without fear of developing skin growths from their touch.