What is it?
Molluscum contagiosum is a harmless skin condition caused by a pox virus. It occurs in both children and adults.
How do you get it?
Molluscum can be spread by sexual or non-sexual contact, usually intimate skin-to-skin contact. It can also be spread by scratching. Some studies have shown molluscum to be connected to baths, swimming, or use of gym equipment or towels.
What are the symptoms?
Bumps usually appear 2 to 3 months after you have been exposed, but can appear as little as one week after exposure or as long as six months. They begin as tiny pinpoints which grow over several weeks to become small, firm, smooth, waxy, pinkish-white raised lesions, which may have a central depression. These contain a milky white substance.
Molluscum may be found in the genital area, thighs and buttocks as well as other parts of the body. There may be a single molluscum or many of them scattered over the body.
Molluscum are usually not itchy, but if scratched, can spread in a line and a bacterial infection could occur.
What's the test like?
Diagnosis is made by a health care provider, based on the appearance of the lesion. Laboratory testing is not required. Some people may believe they have genital warts when in fact they have molluscum.
What is the treatment?
Bumps will clear on their own, but slowly. Healing can be sped up with liquid nitrogen treatment to freeze the bumps.
If not treated?
If bumps are left untreated they will usually clear within one year.
How common is Molluscum?
Since molluscum contagiosum is not an infection that must be reported to public health, it is difficult to know how common it is. Up to 2% of visits to skin specialists are for molluscum.
Of particular concern to immune compromised
Occurs in approximately 10% of HIV-infected clients with advanced immunodeficiency. Multiple molluscum appear on the face, and tend to increase in number in spite of attempts to get rid of them with treatments. They can be spread by scratching or shaving and cause scarring.
Links
- Urology Channel - Further information on Molluscum contagiosum. The urologychannel.com community is developed and monitored by leading US urology physicians.
- GayHealth - Further information on Molluscum. GayHealth.com is dedicated to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) men and women, staffed by professionals from within the LGBT community.
| 
