Overview
What is molluscum contagiosum?
What are the types of molluscum contagiosum viruses and which type causes most infections?
Who discovered molluscum contagiosum disease?
How is molluscum contagiosum infection transmitted?
Which patient groups are at increased risk for molluscum contagiosum infection?
What is the disease pattern of molluscum contagiosum infection in children?
What is the disease pattern of molluscum contagiosum infection in healthy adults?
What is the disease pattern of molluscum contagiosum infection in immunocompromised patients?
What is the pathogenesis and disease progression of molluscum contagiosum infection?
How is molluscum contagiosum virus classified?
Which types of molluscum contagiosum virus cause infection in humans?
What is the structure of the molluscum contagiosum virus genomes?
How prevalent is molluscum contagiosum infection in the US?
What is the global prevalence of molluscum contagiosum infection?
Does molluscum contagiosum have a racial or sexual predilection?
How does the prevalence of molluscum contagiosum vary among age groups?
What is the prognosis of molluscum contagiosum?
What is the morbidity associated with molluscum contagiosum infection?
What education about molluscum contagiosum should be provided to patients?
Should children with molluscum contagiosum be kept out of school or daycare?
What instructions should a patient be given to prevent transmission of molluscum contagiosum?
Presentation
What are the symptoms of molluscum contagiosum?
Which conditions increase the risk of spreading molluscum contagiosum?
How does comorbid atopic dermatitis affect molluscum contagiosum?
Which factors increase the risk for molluscum contagiosum infection?
What is the duration of molluscum contagiosum infection?
What are the risk factors for molluscum contagiosum in patients with HIV?
How are molluscum contagiosum skin lesions characterized?
Where are molluscum contagiosum skin lesions commonly located?
Which types of skin lesions are comorbidities of molluscum contagiosum?
Which physical findings suggest molluscum contagiosum?
Which comorbidities are associated with disfiguring molluscum contagiosum lesions?
What are the complications of molluscum contagiosum?
DDX
What are the diagnostic considerations if molluscum contagiosum is suspected?
Which conditions should be included in the differential diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum?
What are the differential diagnoses for Molluscum Contagiosum?
Workup
How is molluscum contagiosum diagnosed?
What is the role of squash preparation in the diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum?
Which histologic findings are characteristic of molluscum contagiosum lesions?
Treatment
When is treatment indicated for molluscum contagiosum?
What are the therapeutic options for molluscum contagiosum?
What is the basis for treatment selection in molluscum contagiosum?
When is repeat exam indicated in molluscum contagiosum?
Which activity restrictions are indicated in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum?
How is molluscum contagiosum prevented?
Which topical agents are effective in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum?
Which drugs may be effective for treatment of molluscum contagiosum?
What are the treatment options for facial molluscum contagiosum legions?
What is the role of caustic agents in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum?
How is tretinoin cream used to treat molluscum contagiosum?
How is potassium hydroxide used to treat molluscum contagiosum?
What is the role of cantharidin in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum?
How is salicylic acid used to treat molluscum contagiosum?
How is therapeutic trauma used to treat molluscum contagiosum?
What is the role of immune response stimulation in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum?
What is the role of antiviral therapy in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum?
Medications
What are the goals for treatment of molluscum contagiosum?
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Note the central umbilication in these classic lesions of molluscum contagiosum.
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Molluscum contagiosum. Approximately 10% of patients develop eczema around lesions. Eczema associated with molluscum lesions spontaneously subsides following removal.
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Molluscum contagiosum on the shaft of the penis. Molluscum contagiosum in the genital region of adults is most commonly acquired as a sexually transmitted disease.
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Molluscum contagiosum. Larger lesions may have several clumps of molluscum bodies rather than the more common single central umbilication. This may make them difficult to recognize as molluscum contagiosum.
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Molluscum lesions may become quite numerous in intertriginous areas. This child has autoinoculated lesions to both inner thighs.
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After trauma, or spontaneously after several months, inflammatory changes result in suppuration, crusting and eventual resolution of the lesion. This inflammatory stage does not usually represent secondary infection and seldom requires antibiotic therapy.
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Lesions of molluscum contagiosum have a characteristic histopathology. Lobules containing hyalinized molluscum bodies, also known as Henderson-Paterson bodies, are diagnostic.
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This lesion of cutaneous coccidioidomycosis could be included among the differential diagnoses of molluscum contagiosum.
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This keratoacanthoma could be included among the differential diagnoses of molluscum contagiosum.
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Molluscum contagiosum. Lesions on the upper eyelid of a 3-year-old child.
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In a patient who had preexisting molluscum contagiosum, the virus was inoculated along a line of minor skin trauma, resulting in the development of the 3 new lesions.
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Molluscum contagiosum on the right axilla.
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Presented here are the classic umbilicated papules of molluscum contagiosum lesions on the cheek of a child. Facial lesions occur frequently in children, although lesions generally are few.
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Molluscum contagiosum rarely occurs on the face in an adult unless the patient is infected with HIV. When molluscum contagiosum occurs in individuals infected with HIV, facial lesions are common and frequently numerous.
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Molluscum contagiosum lesions in individuals infected with HIV may number in the hundreds. In addition, they may become quite large and prominent.
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This low-power view of a molluscum contagiosum lesion shows the classic cup-shaped invagination of the epidermis into dermis. The Henderson-Paterson bodies are identified readily and stained purple to red in this image.
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This is a medium-power view of a molluscum contagiosum lesion. Magnification allows better demonstration of the intracytoplasmic molluscum bodies (staining purple-pink) within the keratinocytes.
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This molluscum contagiosum body is an intracytoplasmic inclusion body. Notice in the image that the keratinocyte nuclei are displaced to the periphery of the cell and that the intracytoplasmic inclusions have a granular quality.
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Multiple papules on the face of a man with HIV.
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Cytoplasmic viral inclusions become progressively larger toward the epidermal surface (hematoxylin and eosin, 200X)
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Low-power histopathologic examination reveals an overall cup-shaped appearance.
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Viral particles have a dumbbell-shaped appearance. Courtesy of Alvin Zelickson, MD.