Contagious mollusc
Contagious mollusc is a parasitic infectious disease of the skin and mucous membranes, provoked by a specific virus of the smallpox group (Molitorhominis). The main symptom of a contagious mollusk is the appearance of dense painful nodular rashes (papules) on the skin with a characteristic umbilical notch inside (see photo). When pressed, a white secret of a curd consistency is released from the nodules.
The content of the article:
The main ways of transmission of contagious mollusc
Classification of forms of contagious mollusc
Symptoms and stages of the disease
Diagnosis and treatment of molluscum contagiosum
Contagious mollusc
When the first rashes appear, which can be localized on any part of the body, contact self-infection occurs, which leads to the spread of nodules over the entire surface of the skin. The mollusk got its name because of its similarity to the shell of a snail when studying nodules under a microscope. A contagious mollusk does not pose a danger to human life and health, but it causes discomfort and aesthetic inconvenience.
The disease has a contact type of transmission, if the substance from the bubbles gets on the skin of another person, infection occurs. Contagious mollusc in most cases has a chronic form of course, a tendency to relapse. Contagious mollusc is most often manifested in adults, although it does not belong to venereal infections, but according to the WHO classification, it is classified as a group of sexually transmitted diseases. However, due to the contact route of transmission of the virus, minor children are also at risk of getting shellfish. With unprotected intimacy, partners of both sexes can become infected.
Infection with a contagious mollusk often occurs against the background of reduced immunity and concomitant infectious pathologies. Getting on human skin, the virus penetrates into the cytoplasm of cells, where it multiplies. With good immunity and a sufficient amount of antibodies, the body is able to overcome the infection. It is possible to detect the disease immediately after infection only by laboratory means, since the incubation period of infection can last up to six months. That is, from contact with the source of infection to the appearance of the first symptoms (rashes), it takes from 2 weeks to several months.
The main ways of transmission of contagious mollusc
The causative agent of the contagious mollusk — the Molitorhominis virus is similar in nature to the smallpox virus. It has a complex and heterogeneous structure, the classification includes four species, of which the cause of the disease is most often the strains MCV1 and MCV2.
Contagious mollusc is transmitted in two ways:
The household contact route of infection occurs through direct contact with the skin of the carrier, through personal belongings (clothes, underwear) and hygiene items. Children can become infected through toys and personal items that the carrier of the disease has touched. When infected by household contact, rashes can form on any part of the skin.
The sexual path of infection with a contagious mollusk occurs in sexually mature adults through intimacy. The virus is transmitted both from women to men and vice versa. When infected through sexual contact, rashes are mainly localized in the genital area. In women, on the labia majora, on the pubis and inner thighs, in men in the lower abdomen, in the perineum.
Recent clinical studies have shown that contagious mollusc can also be transmitted hematogenically through the blood. This can occur when in contact with the blood of a virus carrier or during transfusion.
There are a number of risk factors for the disease of contagious mollusc, affecting equally people of different ages and minor children:
Visiting public places where there is a high probability of infection. For children, it can be swimming pools, sports clubs and clubs. For adults — baths, saunas, massage and cosmetology rooms.
Close tactile contact with the virus carrier. It can happen in any public place, in an adult at work or in a store, in a child in kindergarten or school.
Unsanitary conditions in public areas.
Reduced functioning of the immune system, weakening the body’s resistance to external threats.
Constant or uncontrolled intake of medications that have an overwhelming effect on the immune system — antibiotics, cytostatics, hormone-containing drugs.
Stress and constant fatigue also have a negative impact on the state of the immune system, which leads to a decrease in the body’s resistance to infection.
Tendency to allergic reactions of various types, especially skin type.
Connective tissue diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis.
Conducting promiscuous sexual activity, unprotected sexual acts with unfamiliar partners.
Thanks to the immunity received from the mother’s body, infants up to 1 year old do not become infected with contagious mollusk. Older children (from 2 to 10 years old) with not yet fully formed protective mechanisms fall into the risk group. Representatives of contact professions are also at risk of the disease, especially for middle- and junior-level medical personnel, massage therapists, cosmetologists, sports coaches.
A contagious mollusk is rare, but it can cause an epidemic. This is especially evident in large children’s groups — kindergartens, junior schools. This fact is due to the natural contact for children, the use of common toys.
Classification of forms of contagious mollusc
In clinical practice , a contagious mollusk is divided into several forms:
The giant form is characterized by the formation of large papules more than 2 cm in diameter.
The pedicular form is distinguished by the fusion of many papules into a single formation.
Cystic or reticular form is a special type of rash, nodules turn into cysts on the legs, when damaged, ulcers form on the skin.
The generalized form is characterized by abundant rashes over the entire surface of the skin.
Symptoms and stages of the disease
The first stage of a contagious mollusk is considered to be the incubation period — from the time of infection to the appearance of the first symptoms. At the second stage of the disease, pink spots appear on the skin, which gradually form into nodular papules. At first, a single rash appears in a person, localized on a separate part of the body, but in the process of self-infection they can spread.
Most often, repeated rashes appear in those places that the patient himself touches with his hands, transferring the infection. With repeated self-infection, rashes affect the face, neck, shoulders, forearms, chest and the hands themselves, through which the virus is transferred. In addition to the typical forms of contagious mollusc, it occasionally encounters an atypical course of the disease.
With an atypical form of pathology, the rashes have a slightly altered appearance — they differ in very small papules that do not have a characteristic umbilical concavity in the center. This form is extremely rare and is accompanied by concomitant diseases — atopic dermatitis or leukemia in children, HIV infection. In rare cases, a secondary infection joins the main disease, which in turn provokes purulent inflammation in the rash area. With this course of the disease, scarring may remain on the skin after treatment.
Diagnosis and treatment of molluscum contagiosum
Diagnosis of the disease in most cases does not require the use of any specialized research methods. As a rule, a dermatologist makes a diagnosis already at the first examination based on obvious and characteristic signs of pathology. In rare cases, when there are doubts about the source and causative agent of the disease, it is necessary to additionally conduct a histological analysis of cells taken by scraping in the area of rashes. When examined under a microscope, a virus is detected in the cytoplasm of cells.
A contagious mollusk does not always need treatment. So in children, very often after a few months, the papules disappear on their own. In some cases, a mild correction of the functions of the immune system is required. It is carried out in order to help the immune system cope with a viral infection.
Removal of nodules is performed only when there is a great threat of permanent self-infection, which occurs in children who have a tendency to comb papules. However, medical specialists approach the removal of nodules in children with extreme caution, since the elimination of the formations themselves does not solve the problem. They may reappear until the immune system completely suppresses the activity of the virus.
Removal of papules in adults is also carried out only according to special indications and the desire of the patients themselves. This desire is most often dictated by aesthetic shortcomings and psychological discomfort experienced by patients themselves due to formations on the skin. As the main methods of removing papules, the following methods are most often used:
cryodestruction — exposure to extremely low temperatures for the purpose of subsequent necrosis and complete destruction of formations;
laser removal is the burning out of a narrow diameter laser beam.
All patients are shown special preparations with antiviral activity, UV irradiation of the affected areas, tuberculin applications. With minor rashes, chemotherapy treatment gives a good effect. When bacterial inflammation is attached, antibiotic therapy of the appropriate action is sometimes used.
