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Molluscum contagiosum is a viral infection of the skin caused by a poxvirus.
The symptoms appear two to seven weeks, or up to six months, after contact with the virus. They begin as tiny painless bumps that grow over several weeks to become small, firm, waxy, pinkish-white, raised lesions, which may have a small crater in the centre of them. The bumps may become swollen and turn red as the body's natural way of fighting the virus.
In children, these symptoms or bumps may appear on the face, body, legs and arms. In adults, these bumps can occur almost anywhere on the body. If the viral infection is sexually transmitted, these symptoms are usually found on the abdomen, groin, external genitals, buttocks or thighs.
The infection can spread from one part of the body to another or to other people. The infection is spread by direct skin-to-skin contact, scratching the lesions or bumps, touching objects that have the virus on them, or through sexual contact. In children, the lesions can be spread to the genital area by scratching.
Diagnosis is done at a medical facility, based on the appearance of the symptoms.
Anyone who has had skin-to-skin contact with the lesion of an infected person is at risk of getting the infection. The infection can be more severe among people with a weaker immune system.
While molluscum contagiosum is most common among children under ten years of age, the infection can affect anyone. In young adults, molluscum contagiosum is primarily a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
Although it is found throughout the world, molluscum contagiosum is more common in places with warm, humid climates.
In some cases, lesions or bumps may persist for years, but they usually go away without treatment in two to six months. If these symptoms appear around the eyes, they may be treated to prevent irritation. Treatment of symptoms in the genital area will prevent them from being spread to partners through sexual contact. Home treatment includes trying not to scratch lesions or bumps and using bandages to cover them.
If the symptoms are causing concern, or to stop them from spreading, a doctor may use any of the following treatments:
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