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What
is Molluscum Contagiosum?
How is it transmitted?
What is the incubation period?
How long is a person infectious?
What are the symptoms?
What is the testing? How is a diagnosis made?
What is the treatment?
What does it mean for a person' s health?
How can I reduce my risk?
What
is Molluscum
Contagiosum?
This is a
skin
disease caused by the molluscum contagiosum
virus (MCV), usually causing one
or more small lesions/bumps. MCV
is generally a benign infection
and symptoms may self-resolve. MCV
was once a disease primarily of
children, but it has evolved to
become a sexually transmitted disease
in adults. It is believed to be
a member of the pox virus family.
How is it transmitted?
- Molluscum contagiosum may be sexually
transmitted by skin-to-skin contact
(does not have to be mucous membranes)
and/or lesions. Transmission through sexual contact is the most
common form of transmission for adults.
- MCV may be transmitted
from inanimate objects such as towels
and clothing that come in contact
with the lesions. MCV transmission has been associated
with swimming pools and sharing baths
with an infected person.
- MCV also
may be transmitted by autoinoculation,
such as touching a lesion and touching another part
of the body. To stop from further
spreading the infection, do not shave
over or close to areas that are visibly infected.
What is the incubation period?
The incubation period averages 2 to
3 months and may range from 1 week to 6 months.
How long is a person infectious?
This is not known for certain, but
researchers assume that if the virus is present it may be transmitted.
What are the symptoms?
- Lesions are usually present on the thighs,
buttocks, groin and lower abdomen
of adults, and may occasionally appear on the external genital
and anal region.
- Children typically develop lesions on
the face, trunk, legs and arms.
- The
lesions may begin as small bumps
which can develop over a period of
several weeks into larger sores/bumps.
The lesions can be flesh colored,
gray-white, yellow or pink. They can cause itching or tenderness
in the area, but in most cases the lesions cause few problems.
Lesions can last from 2 weeks to 4 years— the average is 2 years.
- People with AIDS or others with compromised
immune systems may develop extensive
outbreaks.
What is the testing? How is a diagnosis
made?
Diagnosis is usually made by the characteristic
appearance of the lesion. MCV may be diagnosed by collecting
a specimen from the lesion, placing it onto a slide and staining
with a Gram stain which shows changes in infected cells. Diagnosis
may be made by collecting a specimen from the lesion and viewing
it under an electron microscope.
Treatment
- Most symptoms are self-resolving,
but generally lesions are removed.
Removal of lesions reduces autoinoculation
and transmission to others.
- Lesions
can be removed surgically and/or
treated with a chemical agent such
as podophyllin, cantharidin, phenol, silver nitrate, trichloracetic
acid or iodine.
- Cryotherapy is an
alternative method of removal.
- Lesions
may recur, but it is not clear whether
this is due to reinfection, exacerbation of subclinical infection,
or reactivation of latent infection.
What does it mean for a person' s health?
In people with HIV infection, molluscum
contagiosum is often a progressive disease.
Reduce your risk
- Because transmission through sexual contact
is the most common form of transmission
for adults, preventing skin-to-skin contact with an infected
partner will be most effective in preventing MCV.
- Latex condoms
or other moisture barriers for vaginal,
oral, and anal sex may help to prevent
such contact. Limitations of such barriers must
be recognized as MCV does NOT require
mucous membrane contact to be passed.
- Using spermicides is
not recommended as they can irritate
the skin or vaginal tissue and, especially
for women, cause abrasions (tiny
openings in skin) that may make it easier
to contract STIs.
- Using condoms
may protect the penis or vagina from
infection, but do not protect from
contact with other areas such as the scrotum or anal
area.
- Mutual monogamy (sex with only
one uninfected partner)
If you do get molluscum contagiosum, avoid touching the lesion
and then touching another part of the body without washing your
hands to prevent chance of autoinoculation.
How do I learn more about Molluscum
Contagiosum?
To learn more about Molluscum Contagiosum and other STIs
call:
Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
1-800-342-2437
STI Resource
Center Hotline
1-800-227-8922
Hotlines are open 24 hrs. a day,
7 days a week.
For Information in
Spanish call
1-800-344-7432
8:00 AM- 2:00 AM Eastern Time,
7 days a week
For Information for the Deaf and Hard
of Hearing call
1-800-243-7889
10:00 AM- 10:00 PM Eastern Time,
Mon.-Fri.
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