Introduction: Human papillomavirus has been reported as the etiological cause of most cervical cancers and other potentially malignant lesions. It also affects other areas, producing benign tumors on the skin. Plantar warts are a common problem found in clinical practice and share signs and symptoms with other dermatological conditions. Diagnosis of HPV infection remains a hot topic in research.
Method: The present work systematically reviews the literature on the diagnostic techniques available in the clinical setting for any type of lesion produced by the virus and compares the techniques identified to those found in use for foot lesions.
Results: Results showed a variety of diagnostic methods, including molecular techniques, which exhibit more sensitivity than other methods but are less frequently applied to plantar lesions, where visual inspection is the most frequent method but can lead to errors.
Conclusion: The techniques identified need to be applied to plantar lesions to improve differential diagnosis in clinical practice.
Expert opinion: Research will continue to grow and a proper diagnostic technique for plantar lesions will be available in the near future.
Keywords: Diagnosis; HPV; PCR; differential diagnosis; plantar warts; podiatry.