The Health Nut Blog

A highly contagious skin infection that stems from a certain pox virus is known as Molluscum Contagiosum Virus or MCV. This skin infection causes painful lesions on the individual that are highly contagious to other individuals. The virus is so contagious that it can even be spread from touching objects that have been contaminated by an individual who has the virus. There are many different types of treatments that a dermatologist or a pediatrician, if the virus is affecting a child, can prescribe. Unfortunately, this virus can often times be wrongly diagnosed as a different type of problem. Some of these issues include dry skin or eczema. If the virus is affecting an adult, then it can sometimes be confused with the Human Papilloma Virus HPV.

There are normally two different courses of treatment for an individual with the Molluscum virus. One of them is to simply let the virus run through its natural course. This however, can take a period of about two years. The other treatment course is to have the lesions frozen or burnt off. This procedure can be quite painful for the patient, and since the individual is most often a child, it can seem even more painful. While there is pain associated with burning or freezing the lesions off, letting it run through its natural course can threaten the individual's life because the lesions will allow other infections to enter the body.

MCV has three stages. First, you'll usually see tiny bumps in a patch that resemble goose bumps. From there, the virus will move into the second stage where the lesions look like flattened moles and then, finally, the third stage where the lesions will look like the pimples every teenager sees during puberty. MCV affects mostly children, but can hit anyone of any age as well. In children, the virus is seen mostly on the face, neck, armpits, hands and arms. For adults it is seen as an STD, or sexually transmitted disease, on the lower abdomen, thigh area, buttocks and genitals.

One way to make sure that the Molluscum virus is not passed on to other individuals is to not allow them to use any of your personal items, like your towels, eating utensils or even hairbrushes. This is because the virus is so easily passed on. There is also another cure that is available to individuals, which is called the silver cure. This cure was actually created by a doctor whose own granddaughters had the illness. It is important to speak to a physician if you think that you or a family member has this virus; as with other viruses, such as an HPV virus, it can be passed on.

# posted by NeilG @ 3:20 PM