Background Warts are benign epithelial proliferations of the skin and mucosa caused by infection with HPV. Low IL‐17 levels may contribute in occurrence, maintenance, severity, and recurrence of different types of cutaneous wart that depend mainly on the cell‐mediated immunity defect. In a majority of the patients, zinc deficiency was associated with persistent, progressive, or recurrent viral warts. A careful dose of oral zinc sulfate may be helpful in the management of such patients. Zn deficiency negatively affects the Th17 cells. IL 6 induced STAT3 activation during chronic inflammation and Th17 development suppressed by Zn via attenuating this activation critically controls Th17‐cell development.

Objectives To evaluate the role of interleukin 17 and zinc in recalcitrant warts.

Patents and methods All studied patients were subjected to history taking and dermatological examination. The evaluation of serum IL‐17 level was done by ELISA in 25 recalcitrant wart patients and 25 wart patients. The measurement of serum zinc level was determined by colorimetric methods, using Au 480 Beckman coulter chemistry analyzer.

Results The results revealed a significant decrease in serum IL‐17 and zinc levels in recalcitrant wart patients.