$Unique_ID{PAR00123}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Molluscum Contagiosum}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Molluscum Contagiosum plump waxy Pimple-like skin eruptions warts
pimples papules papule virus viruses viral infection infections}
$Log{}

Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Molluscum Contagiosum


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOM
     - Pimple-like skin eruptions that are plump and waxy in appearance and
       firm to the touch

     HOME CARE
     - Call the doctor for instructions about home care.

     PRECAUTION
     - Molluscum contagiosum spreads rapidly.  Keep the child's clothing and
       linens separate from those of other family members.  Launder the
       child's belongings frequently to kill the virus.


     The condition known medically as molluscum contagiosum is often mistaken
for an outbreak of warts or pimples.  In fact, it is a common, chronic
infection of the skin, caused by a specific virus.
     The disease is spread by direct contact with an infected person or by
indirect contact with articles used by that person.  The virus has a long
incubation period (the time it takes for symptoms to develop once the child
has been exposed to the virus) of two to seven weeks.  Scratching can cause
the eruptions, or molluscum papules, to become infected.  Molluscum
contagiosum has no other symptoms.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     Each molluscum papule is a plump, round, slightly waxy-looking,
pimple-like eruption that grows to a diameter of one-quarter inch or more.  It
is firm to the touch.  In the course of months, molluscum papules may spread
and number in the hundreds.
     The diagnosis is based on the appearance of the pimple-like eruptions.
The indentation in the center of each molluscum papule can be easily seen on
close inspection in good light.

HOME CARE

     Molluscum contagiosum requires medical treatment.  Call the doctor, who
will give directions for home care.

PRECAUTION

  -  The condition readily spreads among members of a family.  Keep the
     infected child's clothing, linen, and towels separate from those used by
     other family members.  Ordinary laundering with soap or detergent kills
     the virus.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     The doctor will give specific instructions about treatment of this
condition.  The first recommendation may be a special cream to be applied to
the molluscum papules, which are then buffed with a rough pad.  If this does
not work, the doctor may use a pointed scalpel to open each molluscum papule
and remove the hard, white, pearl-like center.  (Do not attempt this treatment
at home.)