[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Microbiology](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/) › [Other DNA viruses](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/groups/other-dna-viruses/) › Molluscum contagiosum virus

[Microbiology](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/) · [Other DNA viruses](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/groups/other-dna-viruses/)

# Molluscum contagiosum virus

- Virus
- Enveloped
- For completeness

A poxvirus that causes small pearly bumps with a central dimple, mostly in children; it usually clears on its own.

Updated 2026-11-01

Also called: molluscum contagiosum

## Key points

- Pearly umbilicated papules in a child: molluscum contagiosum.
- Extensive or facial lesions in an adult: think HIV.
- A poxvirus with molluscum bodies on histology.
- Self-limited; standard precautions.

## At a glance

**Shape**
Large, brick-shaped, enveloped

**Genome**
Linear double-stranded DNA

**Envelope**
Enveloped

**Family**
Poxviridae (genus Molluscipoxvirus)

**Size**
About 200 to 300 nm

## Morphology

- A poxvirus that replicates in the cytoplasm of keratinocytes
- Large eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions (molluscum bodies) on histology

## Transmission

- Direct skin-to-skin contact
- Shared towels and objects
- Sexual contact in adults (genital lesions)
- Autoinoculation by scratching

**Reservoir:** Humans

### Isolation precautions

What the care team adds to standard precautions.

- Standard

## Virulence factors

- Infection limited to the epidermis
- Proteins that dampen inflammation and let lesions persist for months

## Diseases it causes

- Molluscum contagiosum [Molluscum contagiosum →](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/molluscum-contagiosum/)

## Clinical picture

- Small pearly papules with a central dimple (umbilicated) that may release whitish material
- Children aged 1 to 10; in adults, genital lesions from sexual contact
- Many large lesions in people with HIV

## Diagnosis

- Clinical diagnosis from the typical look
- Biopsy or examination of the core: molluscum bodies

## Treatment

It usually resolves on its own within months. If treated: physical methods (curettage, cryotherapy) or topicals such as cantharidin or podophyllotoxin; in HIV, the best measure is restoring immunity with antiretroviral therapy.

Drug class only; doses and regimens are set by the clinician from the current guideline.

## Prevention

- No sharing towels and no scratching lesions
- Covering lesions for pools and contact sports
- Standard precautions

## Memory aid

A pearl with a belly button: that is what each molluscum papule looks like.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## What do molluscum contagiosum lesions look like?

Small, pearly, umbilicated papules, often in clusters.

## What does extensive molluscum in an adult suggest?

Immunosuppression, especially HIV infection.

## Which family does molluscum contagiosum virus belong to?

The poxviruses, large double-stranded DNA viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm.

[Add to my cards (3)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/microbiology/molluscum-contagiosum-virus/)

## Related

- [Mpox virus](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/mpox-virus/)
- [Human papillomavirus](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/human-papillomavirus/)

## Related conditions

- [Molluscum contagiosum](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/molluscum-contagiosum/)

## What the colours mean

**Gram-positive**
Thick peptidoglycan wall: stains purple.

**Gram-negative**
Thin wall with an outer membrane: stains pink.

**Acid-fast**
Lipid-rich wall (mycobacteria): Ziehl–Neelsen stain.

[← Back to the group: Other DNA viruses](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/groups/other-dna-viruses/)

Educational content on microorganisms; not a treatment guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.

Sources: [Clinical Overview of Molluscum Contagiosum](https://www.cdc.gov/molluscum-contagiosum/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html) (CDC, 2024); [Appendix A: Type and Duration of Precautions Recommended for Selected Infections and Conditions](https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/hcp/isolation-precautions/appendix-a-type-duration.html) (CDC, 2024).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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Source: https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/molluscum-contagiosum-virus/
License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/molluscum-contagiosum-virus/