Contagious mollusk

Key points

A "molluscum contagiosum" is defined as a "viral infection affecting the skin and mucous membranes: it is an extremely contagious but fortunately benign disease.

Molluscum contagiosum: causes

The cause of molluscum contagiosum lies in a "viral infection caused by DNA viruses, belonging to the Poxviridae family.

See More Photos Contagious Mollusc

Transmission can occur by simple contact with the skin / mucous membranes of an infected person; molluscum contagiosum is included in the list of sexually transmitted diseases.

Molluscum contagiosum: symptoms

The molluscum contagiosum creates purely cutaneous symptoms: the skin of the infected subject is covered with small raised papules, which can vary in number (a couple or more than a hundred) and size (2-15 mm).
In particularly sensitive patients, papules create itching, inflammation, secondary infections and eye damage (conjunctivitis).

Contagious molluscum: diagnosis

The diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum consists in direct medical observation of papular lesions. Eventually, the clinical suspicion can be confirmed by a skin biopsy.

Molluscum contagiosum: therapy

Healing of molluscum contagiosum papules is possible, but often requires long waiting times (months / years). Pharmacological therapy involves the topical application of keratolytic, antiviral or immunosuppressive drugs. The most difficult papules are eliminated by scraping, cryotherapy or laser therapy.

Contagious mollusk

Molluscum contagiosum is a viral skin disease that, only occasionally, also affects the mucous membranes. A purely benign disease, molluscum contagiosum is caused by the infection of a DNA virus: the pathogen is responsible for papular lesions that can spread throughout the body surface without however causing damage to internal organs.
The singular nickname with which the disease is identified comes from the Latin molluscus, what does it mean soft: the lesions induced by molluscum contagiosum, in fact, have a soft, rather spongy appearance.
In healthy individuals, with a strong immune system, molluscum contagiosum regresses spontaneously, although the healing times are generally quite long (months / years). Different speech for the immunocompromised: in addition to not being able to eradicate the molluscum contagiosum by themselves, these subjects suffer more important papular lesions and rather difficult to eliminate even with the help of medicines.
Molluscum contagiosum can be cured with the application of the same drugs used for the treatment of warts. Particularly aggressive lesions, difficult to eliminate through pharmacological treatments, require surgical excision.

Incidence

We do not have certain and undisputed data on the incidence of molluscum contagiosum, therefore it is not possible to report precise values. What is certain is that the disease is common, much more than one can imagine. In fact, given the low danger of the molluscum contagiosum, the affected patient tends not to report the disease.
The spread of molluscum contagiosum seems to be favored by hot climates, with high humidity: tropical temperatures, in fact, facilitate contagion.
According to some statistical estimates, it seems that molluscum contagiosum affects, in general, approximately 2.6 individuals per 100 healthy subjects. In 80% of diagnosed cases, molluscum contagiosum involves children under the age of 15, with highest incidence in preschool age (1-4 years).
The prognosis is excellent in the vast majority of cases.

Causes and risk factors

CAUSES AND TRANSMISSION

Molluscum contagiosum is caused by a "viral infection supported by DNA viruses, belonging to the Poxviridae family. The virus involved in the infection" is known as molluscum contagiosum virus, or more simply with the acronym MCV. The only host of the virus is man.

There are 4 types of CVD, identified with numbers from 1 to 4; the most widespread seems to be the MCV-1, while the rarest is the MCV-2 (typical vector of molluscum contagiosum of adults).

Code number Pox- of the family to which the virus belongs (Poxviridae), refers to the particular characteristic of the typical lesions of the contagious molluscum: in English, the term Poxes refers to vesicles.

Molluscum contagiosum is transmitted in several ways:

Direct contact with the skin of an affected individual;
Mixed use of infected sheets, towels or linen;
Sexual contact: in similar situations, the papular lesions of the molluscum contagiosum develop in the genital area. In this case, the differential diagnosis with warts and herpes simplex lesion is necessary;
Sharing tubs or showers with people affected by molluscum contagiosum.

CATEGORIES AT RISK OF CONTAGIOUS MOLLUSC

Molluscum contagiosum can ideally affect anyone; however, patients with a compromised immune system (eg AIDS patients, transplant recipients, etc.) are the category most exposed to the risk of infection. According to some statistical surveys reported in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, molluscum contagiosum affects 5-33% of AIDS patients.
Patients suffering from lymphoproliferative diseases (caused by the proliferation of cells of the lymphoreticular system), and under treatment with corticosteroid drugs, are also more at risk of contracting molluscum contagiosum.
Another category of subjects exposed to infections from molluscum contagiosum virus are children suffering from atopic eczema: despite what has been said, there is no scientific evidence to prove its correlation.

Signs and symptoms

For further information: Molluscum contagiosum symptoms

After contracting the MCV virus, molluscum contagiosum does not show any symptoms for 2-7 weeks (incubation time).
Lesions usually begin with a small, painless, extremely soft papule. The skin sore is a dome-shaped papule, characterized by the typical central umbilication: in other words, the papules of the molluscum contagiosum have a small dimple in the center.
The size of the papule generally varies from 2 to 6 mm. However, in HIV positive patients also affected by molluscum contagiosum, the lesions tend to reach as much as 15 mm.
The papules can spread throughout the body surface, then exceed a hundred, or be limited to two or three small sores.
Although the papular lesions generated by the molluscum contagiosum can appear in any superficial area of the body, in most of the affected subjects, papules are observed at the level of the face, armpits, arms, hands and groin. The infection does not involve the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet.
Sometimes, the papules can be itchy or mildly painful.
In some particularly sensitive patients, especially if severely immunocompromised, the symptoms of molluscum contagiosum can worsen, thus creating irritation, inflammation, secondary infections and ocular lesions (conjunctivitis).

Characteristics table

The table shows the general characteristics of the lesions induced by the molluscum contagiosum.

General characteristics of papular lesions Soft, rounded papular lesions characterized by a central "umbilicus." Coloring The papules of the molluscum contagiosum can be of the same color as the skin, or take on a yellowish, gray or whitish color Dimensions Typically, the size of the molluscum papules varies from 2 to 6 mm. In AIDS patients they reach 15 mm Location Papules tend to spread to the face, armpits, arms, hands, groin. Proliferation of papules in the genital mucosa is also possible (transmission of the virus by sexual contact) Danger of injury Poor / none Symptoms Generally asymptomatic. Sometimes they can cause itching, discomfort and pain Timing of healing Molluscum contagiosum-induced lesions subside within months or years.