ABSTRACT
An evaluation of virions from skin lesions by SDS-PAGE identified seven major polypeptides and showed variability between patients, suggesting a potential for use in strain evaluation. Limited studies reported a similar restriction endonuclease pattern among epidemiologically related lesions, the cloning of MCV DNA, and its use in restriction enzyme analysis. A heterogeneous group of diseases has been described in association with disseminated MC, including atopic dermatitis, epidermodysplasia verruciformis, and selective IgM deficiency. When a linear distribution of lesions occurs, it suggests autoinoculation by scratching. MC may appear intraorally, periorally, intraocularly, and periocularly where it presents as trachoma or chronic follicular conjunctivitis associated with lesions of the lips. In general, treatments have focused on removing the cutaneous lesion either by surgery or producing epidermal injury, with subsequent desquamation of the molluscum and surrounding uninvolved skin. Successful therapy with topical vitamin A acid (tretinoin) has been described in two patients with genital lesions.
