Molluscum Contagiosum Virus: Biology and Immune Response

Molluscum contagiosumMolluscum contagiosum virus is a poxvirus belonging to the Poxviridae family, which includes Orthopoxvirus, Parapoxvirus, Yantapoxvirus, Molluscipoxvirus, Smallpox virus, Cowpox virus and Monkeypox virus. Molluscum contagiosum MCV belongs to the genus Molluscipoxvirus and has a tropism for skinSkin tissue. MCV infects keratinocytesKeratinocytes and, after an incubation period of 2 weeks to 6 weeks, causes a breakdown of the skinSkin barrier with the development of Skin papules of variable size depending on the proper functioning of the immune response (both adaptive and acquired). MCV only infects humansHuman and does not cause viraemia. MCV encodes for several inhibitory proteinsInhibitory protein responsible to circumvent the immune response through different signalling pathways. Individuals who can be infected with MCV are children, immunocompromised individuals such as organ transplant recipients and HumanHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-infected individuals. Current treatments to manage MCV-induced lesionsLesions are different and include the use of immunomodulators, which, however, do not provide an effective response.