Periocular molluscum contagiosum: six different clinical presentations

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the different clinical presentations of periocular molluscum contagiosum (MC) lesions and their epidemiological, clinical and histopathological features.

Methods: Medical records and histopathological sections of all cases of periocular MC treated at the oculoplastic clinic of the Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Israel, between 1995 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The following data were extracted: gender, age at the time of MC diagnosis, immune competency, location of the periocular lesions, number of lesions, dimensions of the lesions, clinical presentation, histopathological features, suspected clinical diagnosis before histopathological diagnosis and treatment.

Results: The series was composed of 41 patients (19 males, 22 females) whose mean age at presentation was 20.41 ± 21.10 years (range 1-71 years). Only one patient was immunosuppressed. The cases were classified into six proposed clinical presentations: 'umbilicated nodular', 'big/giant', 'conglomerated', 'erythematous', 'inflamed' and 'pedunculated'.

Conclusion: This is the first time that different clinical types of MC lesions are labelled. The current evidence also indicates that MC lesions should be suspected not only in children and in immunosuppressed adult patients but also in immunocompetent patients of all ages.

Keywords: Henderson-Paterson bodies; molluscum bodies; molluscum contagiosum; umbilicated lesion.