Molluscum

Molluscum definition and general information

        Molluscum contagiosum is an outgrowth of the skin that shows a viral infection. The molluscum contagiosum virus belongs to the pox virus family and it is the infectious agent. As its name suggests, molluscum contagiosum spreads easily by skin contact. Molluscum contagiosum occurs in children and spreads through contact, but it is also a sexually transmitted disease which occurs more in adolescents and young adults. Molluscum is a benign infection and the skin tends to heal spontaneously without treatment.

How do we recognize the molluscum contagiosum

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        Molluscum appears as small raised, white and thick buttons. In the middle you will notice a small gray line. These growths appear as small clusters mainly on the face, body folds, armpits, chest, buttocks. Unlike warts that grow at the extremities of the body, molluscum appears in the middle part of the body.

Is molluscum contagious? - Molluscum skin

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        Pox virus, the cause of molluscum is very contagious. A simple contact with an infected person or the use of the same towels is enough to contaminate. It is advisable to have one towel for every child.

How to treat molluscum...

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        There is no magic treatment for molluscum. One must just be patient. Molluscum disappears by itself after a few weeks or months. It is advisable to avoid areas favoring transmission, such as swimming-pool and other wet areas. If it is for aesthetic reasons that you want to treat molluscum, consult your doctor. The molluscum growths are treated with laser or cryotherapy or removed with a curette.

Molluscum infection incubation period

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        In molluscum disease skin lesions appear typically 2 to 7 weeks after exposure or contact.

Molluscum diagnosis

        Molluscum is caused by a virus of the poxvirus family. The presence of this virus within the skin causes the formation of bumps on molluscum skin. These small painless bumps have a small central crater (umbilicated). Molluscum infection, left to itself, does not discharge or bleeding. The presence of discharge or bleeding may indicate another infection - see a specialist. Molluscum diagnosis is usually established through visual inspection. Sometimes, your doctor sends a sample of the lesion to an experienced pathologist to confirm the diagnosis. Molluscum can also occur in adults, and their anogenital location is considered a sexually transmitted disease. Molluscum contagiosum can be sexually transmitted by direct contact with the skin but can also be spread by towels and sports equipment. Children can catch it by indirect contact, for example if they share towels or clothing, or pool.

Molluscum treatment

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        Molluscum treatment usually requires application of liquid nitrogen or removed with a curette. They tend to recur easily, especially in child or adult who has impaired immunity. The molluscum lesions / molluscum bumps that are scratched can become infected. People who have AIDS or whose immune system is weakened can have a surge of injuries. Some doctors recommend not treating molluscum because they disappear spontaneously and a favorable treatment for molluscum prevents their spread and is shortening the duration of natural evolution. Molluscum treatment is applied for aesthetic reasons and to prevent the spread of infection. Most lesions disappear on their own without any treatment.

        Several treatments are being evaluated.

• A cream containing imiquimod, which modulates the body's defenses, is already used successfully in the treatment of genital warts.
• A cream containing an antiviral substance (cidofovir).

Molluscum complications

        The most common complication in molluscum disease is the bacterial infection at the same place where the molluscum spreads. The molluscum virus does not appear in infants born of infected mothers.

Molluscum pictures

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Molluscum symptoms and molluscum rash

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        Molluscum clinical signs are: usually asymptomatic, but may be pruritic. The expression of a whitish area in central umbilication suggests the diagnosis.
There are three evolutionary stages:

• Incubation period: 2 weeks to 2 months after contact.
• Elementary lesion, firm, hemispherical, flesh-colored or pink pearly papule, smooth surface, with a central umbilication measure 2 to 6 mm in diameter but can reach 10 mm or more. It rarely takes the form of giant nodules (larger than 3 cm). The central umbilication emits a very characteristic white matter corresponding to altered keratinocytes containing viruses.
• Spontaneous Regression: sometimes it is surrounded by an inflammatory eczema wich may correspond to a injury.