Author Login | Popular Articles | RSS Feeds | Sitemap

Home | Uncategorized


Molluscum Contagiosum - A Skin Infection

By: Kevin Pederson

The appearance of small, pink, pearl-shaped spots is a viral infection of the skin termed Molluscum contagiosum. This is typically found in children but may occur at any age as well. It is a skin disorder.

Although not a serious disease because it clears up within a few months, it can however last as long as two years. The lesion spreads onto the skin through contact with another individual especially those with eczema or individuals with weakened immune systems. Lesions in healthy individuals may last from 6 to 8 weeks. The lesions may also last for as long as five years with scarring when it becomes infected and new lesions can appear over time with continuous spreading.

A large DNA poxvirus producing a wart like lesion causes molluscum contagiosum. It takes at least 2-7 weeks incubation for its development lasting from months to years without treatment. They may appear as discrete small flesh colored umbilicated papules with a rim of inflammation around the individual warts. Henderson-Paterson bodies which are viral intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies can be seen in the extracted cheesy material from the lesions.

A molluscom contagiosum lesion may appear as having a central core or plug of white, cheesy or waxy material, with a single or usually multiple pink, pearl-like spots on the face, arms and legs, which can be 1 to 5mm in diameter, and a dimple in the center. This may present itchiness, become irritated, tender or painful with 10% exhibiting eczema around the lesions.

Diagnosis for molluscum contagiosum is skin biopsy of the lesion. However, the wart-like lesions of most patients don't have noticeable symptoms. They may be prone only to secondary bacterial infections that obscure or complicate the original condition.

No single perfect treatment for the viral infection is currently used because it's still impossible to kill the virus. Most treatments will involve laser therapy with the larger molluscum frozen using liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy) or scraped away under local anesthesia. Wart paints are also used containing salicylic acid (SSA) or podophyllin. Acne treatments with a mild or soft scrub when showering or the application of tretinoin cream (vitamin A acid) can be used. However, surgery is another option.

For prevention of the spread of the virus, here are some helpful tips:
1. Avoid direct sexual contact until papules are treated and have completely healed.
2. Avoid rubbing, scratching, touching or even shaving over the infected areas.
3. Don't borrow from others or lend them your clothing, towels, hairbrushes or any personal item.
4. Direct contact should be avoided on the skin lesions.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Kevin Pederson has written many articles on hair and skin care a guide to important hair and skin care tips. Get educated through the wealth of information on several hair and skin disorders such as Molluscum contagiosum - a viral infection that affects the skin forming papules or lesions lasting for as long as five years if infected.

| Print | Ezine Ready | |

Recent UnCategorized Articles

  • Can I still Qualify For a Home Loan? By: Art Gib - Are you nervous about buying a home in these turbulent times? Well, you probably should be. It's because a home is most likely going to be your single biggest investment, and the item that you will most likely work for several decades to pay for. With an unpredictable economy, no good news from the stock markets, the country groaning under the weight of so many foreclosures, the thought of buying a home can be downright overwhelming.
  • Some Business Insurance Tips By: Art Gib - If you're an Internet user, finding good New York business insurance quotes should not be difficult for you. One of the first things you want to nail down is to decide which company you are interested in doing business with. Any of the information you need will be within easy reach of any Internet search engine. The job of getting the right New York business insurance will become a lot easier when you have narrowed down which companies to start making inquiries with.
  • Gift Ideas for Bridesmaids: Things She'll Love By: Jamie Jefferson - Your bridesmaids do a lot for you in the months leading up to your wedding. In addition to standing up for you during the ceremony, they also spend time and money getting ready for the wedding. That's why it's so important to give them a gift before the wedding to let them know how much you appreciate them and their involvement in your special day.
  • Legitimate Work From Home Jobs - How To Find Legitimate Jobs Online By: April Claeyssens - In today's struggling economy people need to earn extra income. That's hard to do if you already have a full time job. But, as you will see, there are some legitimate work from home part time jobs to supplement your earnings. If you're looking for a legitimate work from home job, the obvious place to start is on the internet. Using the internet is a 1000% better and faster than using any newspaper. The down side is knowing what a scam is and what isn't.
  • Building A Flash Template Site Is Easy By: April Claeyssens - In the last eight years website building has grown enormously. The days of creating just an average website are gone. People will go to your website and stay there if it looks like fun. By the time you're done reading this you'll realize that building a flash template site is easy. Building a flash template site is easy and is just more engaging than simple websites. The reader can be mesmerized and enthusiastic to see more.
  • A Personal Development Strategy For Success By: Koz Huseyin - To succeed, you need something. That something is a personal development strategy. And we can either work with strategies or tactics, but only one will make you succeed - time and time again. Join me, as we take a look at your personal development strategy for success. As you read this article about your personal development strategy, you will discover more about: * What Is Success? * What Is A Personal Development Strategy?
  • How Laptops, Social Networking and the Internet Have Influenced Teenagers By: Theodore Cartman - How are laptops shaping the lives of teenagers especially when combined with the social networking phenomenon and the wireless Internet capability. Websites like Facebook, MySpace, StumbleUpon and more have totally changed the way we relate online. These sites connect friends and acquaintances and have the ability for one to build groups around their interests. Within these groups are members share special interests like other websites, video, music, software and more.
  • Gourmet Food As A Last Minute Gift Idea By: Jay Gaulard - Are you looking for that last minute gift idea that will make the recipient love you forever? If you are, just close your eyes and tell yourself, "This is not as hard as I'm making it." The reason why you want to do this is because it really isn't as hard as you're making it. As a matter of fact, gourmet food is going to help you make them really want to be on your Christmas list year ever year.
  • The Stock Market For Beginners By: Art Gib - The stock market has sure been in the news a lot lately. When market prices drop, it may signal a good time for new investors to get in. But many folks may be intimidated at the idea of investing in and trading in the stock market because they've had little or no experience. Here are some basics to help you decide if this type of investment is right for you. What are stocks exactly?
  • Acne: How Do You Get Rid Of It? By: Michael Murray - You can probably remember suffering from acne at some point during your life - and desperately trying just about anything to get rid of it. Acne is most common during the teenage years - around 85% of teenagers suffer from it - although it is also surprisingly common in older people, especially women. Cures for acne have been around almost as long as acne itself. The Romans used to treat it by bathing in hot, often sulfurous mineral water; today's treatments aren't quite so extreme.

Search Ebay

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!


Submit Your link to the Open Link Directory Project

Copyright 2005-2008 MJE Sales, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Proud member of the ArticleCkr Search Network Search Network!
ArticleSnatch.com is free for both publishers and authors to use and is supported entirely from advertising revenue.
Use of our service is protected by our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.