Molluscum Contagiosum - Information on Molluscum Contagiosum

Molluscum Contagiosum Information

Molluscum Contagiosum is basically a skin disease typical to youth, but Molluscum Contagiosum may occur to the people at any age. It can, however, last for up to two years. This is a benign disease that spontaneously improves after a couple of months. In patients with AIDS , it may develop as a general or pervasive (gradually spreading) skin infection. The virus replicates in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells producing cytoplasmic inclusions, and it may cause enlargement of infected cells.

Molluscum contagiosum is a viral infection of the skin Similar to warts, this virus belongs to the poxvirus family and enters the skin through small breaks of hair follicles. It does not affect any internal organs. . It appears as small, pearl-shaped spots which are pink in colour. It may occur at any age but is typically found in children. It is not a serious disease and usually clears up within a few months.

We have provided you here all symptoms, causes and treatment methods of Molluscum Contagiosum.

Causes of Molluscum Contagiosum

The cause of the Molluscum Contagiosum is unknown.

Treatment of Molluscum Contagiosum

Following are the treatment of molluscum contagiosum:

• It requires no treatment generally and ends itself
• Larger and troublesome molluscum can be frozen or scraped away under local anaesthesia .
• Antiseptic applied to the affected areas is helpful only if local infection occurs - which shows as painful red areas around the molluscum spots.
• Topical applications

• Cantharidin - A single application that may need to be repeated once or twice every 3-4 weeks
• Tretinoin - Cream 0.1% or gel 0.025% applied daily
• Podophyllin
• Trichloroacetic acid
• Tincture of iodine
• Silver nitrate or phenol
• Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen - One of the popular treatment modalities

• Systemic agents

• Griseofulvin
• Methisazone (1methylisatin 2-thiosemicarbazone)
• Cimetidine