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Molluscum contagiosum - Management
Basis for recommendation
These recommendations are based on expert opinion [NHS Scotland, 2005; BASHH, 2008] and what CKS considers to be good clinical practice in the UK.
- A specialist may offer diagnostic investigations (e.g. skin biopsy) [Smolinski and Yan, 2005] and provide treatments not available in primary care. The evidence for curettage, phenol ablation, imiquimod, potassium hydroxide 10%, podophyllin, and cantharidin treatments is limited to small uncontrolled trials.
- Rarely, eyelid or ocular molluscum contagiosum can cause keratoconjunctivitis, which needs an urgent referral [Redmond, 2004].
- Molluscum contagiosum in people with immunosuppression can be progressive and resistant to treatment [Gottlieb and Myskowski, 1994]. Extensive lesions in a person with HIV may indicate a falling CD4 count, which needs attention [Schwartz and Myskowski, 1992].
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