SPOTTERS MEDICINE

 

 

MOLLUSCUM CONTAGIOSUM 

🔹 Definition:

Molluscum contagiosum is a benign viral skin infection caused by a poxvirus, presenting as flesh-colored, dome-shaped papules with central umbilication.

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🔹 Causative Organism:

• Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV)
• Belongs to Poxviridae family
• Four types (MCV-1 to MCV-4); MCV-1 is most common

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🔹 Mode of Transmission:

• Direct skin-to-skin contact (including sexual contact)
• Autoinoculation (scratching lesions spreads infection)
• Fomites (towels, gym equipment, etc.)

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🔹 Affected Population:

• Children (most common)
• Sexually active adults (genital region)
• Immunocompromised patients (HIV/AIDS – widespread lesions)

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🔹 Clinical Features:

• Multiple small papules, 2–5 mm in size
• Dome-shaped, shiny, flesh-colored with central umbilication
• Common sites: face, trunk, arms, genital area
• Usually painless, may be itchy
• In immunocompromised – large, numerous, atypical lesions

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🔹 Diagnosis:

• Clinical appearance is usually diagnostic
• Dermatoscopy: central pore with white-yellow core
• Histopathology: shows Henderson-Patterson bodies (large eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions)

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🔹 Differential Diagnosis:

• Verruca vulgaris (warts)
• Folliculitis
• Milia
• Basal cell carcinoma (in adults)

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🔹 Treatment:

• Usually self-limiting within 6–12 months
• For cosmetic or transmission reasons:
• Curettage or cryotherapy
• Topical agents: tretinoin, cantharidin, imiquimod
• Laser therapy (CO₂ laser for resistant lesions)

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🔹 Complications:

• Secondary bacterial infection
• Scarring after treatment
• Spread to other body parts or contacts

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🔹 Prevention:

• Avoid sharing towels, razors, or close contact
• Keep lesions covered to prevent spread
• Practice safe sex in adults

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🔹 Prognosis:

• Excellent in immunocompetent individuals
• Chronic and widespread in immunocompromised (e.g., HIV patients)

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DR.C.GANESAN M.D.,

PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE