MOLLUSCUM CONTAGIOSUM

Structure & Property	Transmission	Pathogenesis	Clinical findings	Laboratory diagnosis	Treatment	
Family: poxvirus

Genome: double strand DNA.

Size: 250-300nm

Brick-shaped enveloped particles.	Human disease of worldwide distribution.

Spread by direct contacts or formites.

May be transmitted from skin to skin after sexual intercourse.

Tends to occur in children.	One of the two causes of warts in the adult genital region, the other being human papillomavirus.	Incubation period: 1 week to 6 months.

Infection is usually benign and painless.

Small papule that grows into a discrete, waxy, smooth, dome-shaped flesh-colored nodule.

Usually 1-20 lesions.

Children: trunk and proximal extremities.

Adults: pubic areas and thighs.

Lesions resolve spontaneously in 4-6 weeks; sometimes disseminates in immunosuppressed patients.	Do not grow in tissue culture.

Lesions contain many numerous poxvirus particles, visible on EM.

Typical cytoplasmic inclusion bodies seen in cells of the malpighian layer.	No antiviral therapy or vaccine is available.