Molluscium (moluscum) contagiosum

Molluscium (moluscum) contagiosum is caused by a virus infection that affects the skin. Molluscum contagiosum will usually display symptoms such as small spots, pearl-formed and often pink in color. Mollusci are often found in children and moluscum contagiosum (contagiousum) is not considered to be a serious condition.

Molluscum contagiosum (sometimes just refered to as moluscum) is a skin infection caused by the poxvirus, a condition fairly similar to wharts. This viral infection can be transfered via direct contact, whether sexual or not, but also by an indirect contact like when sharing a towel or visiting a public swimming pool. Symptoms of molluscium contagiosum usually will be visible somewhere in the time span of 2-8 weeks after the initial infection.

Moluscum is a condition that is more often seen in young children because of their lesser immune system adaption to different types of virus. It is also more commonly seen in patients with a lesser immune system function, such as in HIV positive patients. This problem also seem to be more common  in the tropical countries since the growth of the poxvirus benefits from a warm and humid surrounding.

Signs of moluscum contagiosum symptoms

• Small spots developing on arms, legs and in the face. These are often pink and pearl-shaped.
• Molluscium can also appear on the genitals and on the inside of the thighs if the condition was sexually transfered
  

Different molluscum contagiousum treatment options

This problem will normally heal by itself so the standard molluscum contagiosum treatment offered, is to do nothing at all. In the severe cases of mollusci, it is possible to use cryotherapy which is a method in which the molluscum symptoms are frozen and then easily removed, a surgical procedure done under local anaesthesia only in the doctors clinic. In some cases it may be helpful to apply an antiseptic solution to the area affected if there are signs of a local infection occuring. This sort of infection typically display its symptoms as red circles and it can be rather painful, located around the moluscum contagiosum dimples.

Some typical available treatments of moluscum contagiosum are:

• Application of liquid nitrogen freezing
• Usage of chemical blistering compounds or acids
• Electrocautery (a method using needles electrically powered)
  
• Scraping off moluscum with a scalpel
• Laser moluscum therapy
• Molluscium contagiousum cream relief 

Home remedies for treating of molluscum can be used as well, there are different topical creams and gels available for home use. For home remedies, there are also several topical anti-viral medications and immune modifiers on the market. When removing mollusci with laser therapy, freezing or scraping, there can be a certain level of pain which is a reason these methods are rarely used with younger children. If there are several infection sites, it may be required with repeated treatments with 3-5 week intervals untill all moluscular signs have disappeared.

Signs of moluscum contagiosum symptoms treatment (molluscium contagiousum) is usually done in children where the lesions appear in difficult places such as facial etc.