Treatment of molluscum contagiosum with oral cimetidine: clinical experience in 13 patients

Abstract

Our purpose was to determine if oral cimetidine, a histamine-receptor antagonist, might be of benefit in the treatment of extensive molluscum contagiosum in children. We present 13 pediatric patients in whom conventional treatment modalities for molluscum contagiosum were unsuccessful or difficult to apply. They were treated with a two-month course of oral cimetidine 40 mg/kg/day. All but three children who completed treatment experienced clearance of all lesions. These children had no new lesions but had persistence of several lesions. One child did not take the drug and did not clear. No adverse effects were observed. We conclude that oral cimetidine may be of benefit in the management of widespread or facial molluscum contagiosum in immunocompetent children.