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Review
. 2022 Feb 23;58(3):342.
doi: 10.3390/medicina58030342.

Viral Infections Confined to Tattoos-A Narrative Review

Mircea Tampa  1   2 , Madalina Irina Mitran  3   4 , Cristina Iulia Mitran  3   4 , Clara Matei  1 , Andreea Amuzescu  2 , Alina Andreea Buzatu  5 , Simona Roxana Georgescu  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Viral Infections Confined to Tattoos-A Narrative Review

Mircea Tampa et al. Medicina (Kaunas). .

Abstract

Since ancient times, people have tattooed their skin for various reasons. In the past, tattoos were associated with low social status; nowadays, tattoos are very popular and are considered a form of art. However, tattoos are associated with various clinical problems, including immune reactions, inflammatory disorders, infections, and even skin cancer. Epidemiological and clinical data of infections on tattoos are scarce. Tattoo-related infections are mostly bacterial; only a few localized viral infections have been reported so far and are caused by molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV). In most cases, the lesions were strictly confined to the area of the tattoo. In this review, we have analysed reported cases of viral infections localized on tattoos and discussed the possible mechanisms involved in the occurrence of these infections.

Keywords: herpes simplex; molluscum contagiosum; tattoo; viral infections; warts.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) A 32-year-old man with molluscum contagiosum on a black tattoo located on his left abdominal flank; (B) molluscum contagiosum papules strictly confined to the tattooed skin (images from our clinic, previously published in Tampa et al., 2012 [49]).
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) A 30-year-old man with warts on a tattoo with black pigment on his left forearm. (B) The aspect of the tattoo after curettage and electrosurgery of the lesions (images from our clinic, previously published in Georgescu et al., 2017 [76]).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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