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Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a common, self-limited viral skin infection occurring in about 20% of healthy children. Resolution occurs within a few months to a few years. Inflammatory reactions are poorly studied, but they are common, often causing pruritus, pain, and sometimes confusion with bacterial superinfection.
Investigators at a tertiary care pediatric dermatology practice performed a retrospective chart review to study inflammatory reactions in MC. In all, 696 MC patients were identified, mean age 5.5 years. Molluscum dermatitis occurred in 270 patients (39%), and inflamed MC lesions in 155 (22%). A history of atopic dermatitis was present in 259 children (37%); these patients had a significantly higher incidence of molluscum derma…