Wadhwa Shivani, Gupta Sanjeev, Dabhra Aditi
Department of Dermatology, Fakeeh University Hospital, Dubai, ARE.
Dermatology, Maharishi Markandeshwar (MM) Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Deemed to be University), Ambala, IND.
Cureus. 2025 Jun 28;17(6):e86941. doi: 10.7759/cureus.86941. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a commonly encountered viral skin infection caused by a poxvirus, primarily affecting children, sexually active adults, and immunocompromised individuals. It typically presents as small, dome-shaped, flesh-colored papules with central umbilication. In most cases, the condition is benign, self-limiting, and resolves spontaneously over several months without the need for aggressive treatment. However, complications such as secondary bacterial infection or abscess formation are uncommon, particularly in immunocompetent adults. When such complications do arise, they can pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, especially when the presentation mimics more common cutaneous infections such as furuncles or other bacterial abscesses. This case report discusses an unusual presentation of molluscum contagiosum in an immunocompetent adult, where the lesion evolved into a deep-seated cutaneous abscess. The atypical clinical features initially obscured the diagnosis, raising concerns for more common pyogenic infections. This underscores the necessity for clinicians to maintain a broad differential diagnosis when encountering atypical skin lesions and highlights the importance of performing appropriate microbial cultures, histopathological examinations, and targeted antimicrobial therapy.
传染性软疣（MC）是一种常见的由痘病毒引起的病毒性皮肤感染，主要影响儿童、性活跃的成年人以及免疫功能低下的个体。它通常表现为小的、圆顶状、肉色丘疹，中央有脐凹。在大多数情况下，病情是良性的、自限性的，无需积极治疗即可在数月内自行消退。然而，继发性细菌感染或脓肿形成等并发症并不常见，尤其是在免疫功能正常的成年人中。当出现此类并发症时，它们会带来重大的诊断和治疗挑战，特别是当表现类似于更常见的皮肤感染，如疖肿或其他细菌性脓肿时。本病例报告讨论了一名免疫功能正常的成年人中传染性软疣的不寻常表现，其中病变发展为深部皮肤脓肿。非典型的临床特征最初掩盖了诊断，引发了对更常见化脓性感染的担忧。这强调了临床医生在遇到非典型皮肤病变时保持广泛鉴别诊断的必要性，并突出了进行适当的微生物培养、组织病理学检查和针对性抗菌治疗的重要性。
