Transmission of molluscum contagiosum has been reported by direct skin contact and has occurred in wrestlers, patients of a surgeon with a hand lesion, and children sharing baths, towels, gymnasium equipment, and benches. Autoinoculation also occurs as evidenced by linear arrays of lesions on infected individuals. Molluscum contagiosum can likely be vertically transmitted, similarly to other viruses such as condyloma acuminatum and human papillomavirus (HPV).
Skin – Primary lesion of molluscum contagiosum
- Firm, smooth, umbilicated papules, usually 2-6 mm in diameter (range 1-15 mm), may be present in groups or may be widely disseminated on the skin and mucosal surfaces.
- The lesions can be flesh-colored, white, translucent, or even yellow in color.
- The number of lesions varies from 1-20 up to hundreds in some reports.
- Some lesions become confluent to form a plaque.
- Lesions generally are self-limited but can persist for several years.
The common goal of the different treatment methods is the destruction of the lesions. Once the lesion is gone, the infection is gone. In immunocompetent people, no therapy is indicted with resolution in 6 to 12 months. In the immunocompromised, aggressive therapy is needed to contain the disease with chemical, cryo, laser, or curettage. 