A Case of Molluscum Contagiosum after Nylon-Towel Scrubbing: DISCUSSION
Molluscum contagiosum is a cutaneous skin neoplasm caused by a DNA virus from the poxvirus family. Spread of the infection is presumed to be due to direct contact, contact by contaminated fomites as well as by communal activities such as public or Turkish baths, sharing bath towels in gymnasiums, wrestlers, masseurs, tattooing and swimming public pools. Schwartz et al. found that lesions identified in patients with HIV infection were limited to the face and neck region, and noted that extensive MC of facial hair areas was common, suggesting spread through shaving. Lee et al. described a case of molluscum folliculitis after shaving leg hair. There is another case report of cutaneous transmission of MC during an orienteering competition. Here we report a case of a woman who developed MC after vigorous friction with a communal rough nylon towel used at a spa. In this case, molluscum contagiosum was noted within two weeks of using the towel considering the incubation period for MC ranges between two and seven weeks, this is consistent with the history of the patient presented here. We suspect that the shared rough nylon towel at the spa was the possible route of viral spread after breaking the skin barrier. We propose the pathogenic hypotheses that the towel was a primary source of MC infection due to being an ‘ideal environment’ in which to harbor the MC virus, that or the spa may has been contaminated by viruses and the virus was inoculated easily through the abrasion site. This patient appeared to suffer minor abrasions from scrubbing with the towel, and then inoculation with the virus occurred.
Therefore, clinicians should consider that viral disease, especially MC, can be transmitted directly or indirectly by disrupting the skin barrier, and suggest that bathers, especially immunodeficient patients, should refrain from scrubbing their bodies with a shared bath towel. cialis professional
