Human warts are extremely contagious, but they have absolutely nothing to do with toad pustules. Warts are benign skin tumors caused by a virus that infects the skin, the human papillomavirus. This virus is introduced into the smallest skin lesions and can, depending on the strain, cause about fifty different types of warts which can appear on the feet and hands as well as on the face, elbows or genitals. As its name suggests, the human papillomavirus is not transmissible to animals and therefore has no relation to toads.
The “warts” they carry on their backs are very different. They are in fact pustules, that is to say projections formed by subcutaneous granular glands, the parotoid glands. While these growths are certainly not contagious and unlikely to cover our hands after handling a toad, they are, on the other hand, potentially dangerous. They can indeed secrete an often creamy venom which serves to protect the toad from its predators; it acts like a neurotoxin when it enters the attacker’s body. If this venom touches a wound or mucous membrane, it can be harmful to humans. This can be the case if you rub your eyes or put your fingers in your mouth after touching a toad. There is therefore no danger in taking a toad in your hands if you have no open wounds on their surface and if you wash them thoroughly afterwards before touching anything else. Only certain species of snakes are immune to this venom, which has another benefit for the toad. This one does not have an immune system as powerful as that of mammals: its venom plays an antiseptic and antibiotic role, making it possible to fight against infections of all kinds.
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