Causes, symptoms, treatment and incubation period of molluscum contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum is a common viral disease of the skin, which leads to a round, painless bumps on the skin. Their size varies from 1 to 5 mm in diameter. If the papules are scratched or damaged, the infection affects the skin around them.

The disease is more common in children but can affect adults, especially those who have a weakened immune system. The virus is transmitted sexually. The most frequent way of transmission is direct contact with an infected person. Nodules on the skin associated with viral replication in skin tissue disappear within a year without treatment, but often spend their removal in medical institutions.

The disease is caused by a virus molluscum contagiosum (MCV), which belongs to the family of poxviruses. Infection is more common in warm humid climates.

Causes of molluscum contagiosum and risk factors

From sharing towels, clothing, toys and other items there is a transfer of the virus molluscum contagiosum, since viral particles for some time stable on surfaces.

The infection often affects children aged 1 to 10 years. Risk factors for infection are:

• a weakened immune system (HIV infection, organ transplantation, treatment of cancer;
• topicscape;
• dermatitis in athletes with the presence of foci of itchy rash.

The symptoms of the disease and the duration of the incubation period

When infected with molluscum contagious the incubation period lasts from 2 to 7 weeks, sometimes even up to 6 months. After passing the latent period there is a small group of lesions.

General characteristics of the formations on the skin in this disease:

1. The lesions are small in size, usually about 5 mm.
2. The papules on the skin there is a small indentation or dot at the top.
3. The rash may redden and swell.
4. Bumps and nodules are removed with strong friction, which infected the surrounding skin.

If you suspect a contagious disease molluscum should visit a therapist or dermatologist.

Looks like molluscum contagiosum in adults and children

Typical molluscum contagiosum are convex, round, flesh-colored bumps on the skin. These papules filled with white wax-like pus that contains a virus. Nodules on the skin can be shiny "pearly" in appearance. Knowing looks like molluscum contagiosum, it is possible easily to identify and begin preventive measures.

Each clam is able to increase, thus formed on the surface of a tiny hole. Rashes appear in solo or group in almost any place on the body, but in children most often found on the chest, abdomen, arms, under arms, on legs,in the groin.

In sexually active teenagers and adults molluscum contagiosum is usually located in the genital area or inner thighs. In rare cases, the papules occur around the eyes or mouth.

How is the treatment

Nodules on the skin go away without treatment 6-12 months after appearance. But we recommend removal of the growths especially adults, because they are contagious. Treatment: molluscum contagiosum can be quite painful, because the procedure is put under anesthesia.

In some cases, drug therapy is prescribed that is applied directly to affected areas of the skin. For the treatment of this skin disease are used these drugs:

• Irritating agents. This group includes substances such as salicylic acid or potassium hydroxide that help dissolve the affected area of the skin for a certain period of time. Very strong caustic medicines may form a burn blister, the healing process which inactivated the virus and dissolve the affected tissue of the dermis. Applying the substance of the latter group, consult your dermatologist, who knows how to treat molluscum contagiosum.
• Antiviral creams. The drug of choice in infection is imiquimod induces cytokines, in particular interferon. Commercial name creams imiquimod: "Aldara" and "Sikera", they are effectively cope with the virus.

How to get rid of molluscum contagiosum using surgical methods

Common treatment is surgical procedure. Doctors use several approaches, namely:

1. scraping;
2. cryotherapy(removal of liquid nitrogen);
3. laser removal;
4. diathermy.

The scraping or elimination of infectious center with tweezers or a scalpel can be quite painful and it is recommended to entrust this procedure to the doctor, so as not to infect the wound with other pathogens. When the removal liquid nitrogen how and the use of irritating agents on the skin are damaged, after which a noticeable scar or discolored skin.

With cryotherapy the freezing of skin lesions occurs for 5-10 seconds, resulting in over it and the surrounding skin, a layer of ice. After the procedure, frozen tissue is removed.

The use of such methods depends on the location and amount of damage. Some patients decide to remove growths, as they cause uncomfortable itching and other discomfort. The patient decides how to get rid ofmolluscum contagiosum, given your threshold for pain.

Treatment by laser is becoming increasingly popular. The laser is directed destroys every education. Can require a lot of procedures to completely clean your skin.

For removal of molluscum contagiosum using a pulsed dye laser. The treatment procedure is painless and almost never causes scarring on the skin that allows it to be used for children. During exposure to pulsed laser bonding occurs the walls of the capillaries, thus minimizing blood loss.

When diathermy the method of treatment of skin diseases uses heat to remove the build-up. First place education is handled by local anesthesia, and after a heated electrical device to burn the damaged tissue.

Prevention methods

The best way to prevent molluscum contagiosum is to avoid contact with the skin of an infected person. Knowledge of and adherence to simple rules of hygiene will help stop the infection.

• Practice frequent hand washing with warm water and soap.
• Teach children to wash their hands properly, as they are often adults are in contact with each other.
• Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or soap.
• Do not use General sports equipment which has contact with the naked body of an athlete.
• If there is any damage on the skin cover them with plaster.
• Do not shave the areas where the pimples.
• Avoid sexual activity if you have papules in the genital region.