Molluscum Contagiosum Causes, Incubation Period, Symptoms And Treatment

Molluscum contagiosum is a viral skin infection. It causes the formation of single or multiple rounded, dome shaped, raised bumps or lesions on the top most layer of skin. It is most common during childhood. It is a benign and self-limited viral infection. Adults with HIV infections and children with atopic dermatitis are more prone to the development of molluscum contagiosum. It is a highly contagious disease that is transmitted by direct contact or indirectly by touching the contaminated objects such as towels, cloths or bed sheets. It is not a harmful condition. It is relieved on its own after a few months without any treatment. It can take up to one and a half years to completely clear the lesions of molluscum contagiosum. 

Causes

Molluscum contagiosum is caused by a pox virus such as molluscu contagiosum virus (MCV). This virus is a DNA virus. There are four types of molluscu contagiosum virus (MCV), MCV-1, MCV-2, MCV-3 and MCV-4. The most common prevalent type is MCV-1. The most cases of molluscum contagiosum in adults are caused by MCV-2. The virus is directly transmitted from one person to another by touching the skin of the infected person. It can also spread by touching the objects or things used by the infected person such as toys, towels, cloths or bed sheets. It can also be transmitted by sexual contact in sexually active adults. This virus can also spread from one part of the body to another by touching, scratching, or shaving.

Incubation Period

The incubation period of molluscum contagiosum is 14 days to 6 months.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of molluscum contagiosum may be not visible up to six months. The symptoms are more severe or serious in people with weak immune systems. The visible symptom of molluscum contagiosum is the appearance of small painless bumps or lesions. The most common symptoms of molluscum contagiosum are discussed below.

• Bumps or lesions on the face, arms, legs and abdomen
• These bumps are shiny and smooth in appearance
• They may be of white, pink or flesh-colored
• Fluid filled bumps (filled with waxy material) 
• Rounded, dome shaped with a dent in the middle of bumps
• Itchy boils
• Formation of lumps around genital or thighs area   
• They may range in size from 2 to 5 millimeters in diameter

Treatment

There is no need for treatment in people with strong immune systems. The bumps or lesions will fade away without any treatment. There are different treatment options depending upon the age, location and health of the patient. Your dermatologist may perform cryotherapy in which the doctor will freeze each bump with the help of liquid nitrogen. Another effective procedure is curettage in which the doctor uses a small tool to pierces and scrapes the bumps from the skin. Laser therapy is recommended in some cases in which a laser is used to destroy the bump or lesion. Your dermatologist can prescribe you some topical creams or gels that peel off the top layer of skin. The most commonly prescribed medicines for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum are podophyllotoxin cream, trichloroacetic acid, cantharidin and imiquimod. In people with weak immune systems or HIV, then your doctor will give you combined treatment and in these patients, complete clearing of bumps may not be possible.