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| ARTICLE |
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| Year : 1958 | Volume
: 6
| Issue : 2 | Page : 37-38 |
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Molluscum contagiosum, a spontaneous cure
Satnam Singh, AD Grover
Gandhi Eye Hospital and Muslim University, Institute of Ophthalmology, Aligarh, India
| Date of Web Publication | 8-May-2008 |
Correspondence Address:
Satnam Singh
Gandhi Eye Hospital and Muslim University, Institute of Ophthalmology, Aligarh
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
How to cite this article:
Singh S, Grover A D. Molluscum contagiosum, a spontaneous cure. Indian J Ophthalmol 1958;6:37-8 |
A.A., muslim male, age 22 years, a University student was first seen on 20th May 1957, complaining of redness, watering and itching in the right eye since 15 days.
He was a poorly covered pale young man. There was no enlargement of the pre-auricular or submaxillary lymph glands. Visual acuity was 6/6 in each eye.
In the right eye there was sub-acute catarrhal conjunctivitis with the conjunctival injection more marked in the lower fornix and a watery discharge. Both fornices were studded with follicles, which were more marked in the lower fornix. The upper tarsal conjuctiva showed no significant papillary hypertrophy. The limbus was broadened, but there was no pannus.
On the lower lid margin, partly covered by the cilia, were three pinhead sized, grey, globular masses, which when seen with the corneal microscope had umbilicated tops, partly filled up with keratin debris. On the walls of the swellings, vertical parallel-running blood vessels were seen.
In the left eye there was no conjunctival hyperaemia, but there were a few prominent and scattered follicles in both fornices. Limbus was normal.
| Pathological Examination | |  |
Conjunctival smear of the right eye was negative. Material was taken for culturing. Scrapings from the foinices
studied after staining with Giemsa stain revealed normal epithelial cells, a large number of polymorphs and a larger number of mononuclear cells.The side nodules were excised on 1 st June 1957 and their histopathology were typical of molluscum contagiosum.
The picture in [Figure - 1]. has been taken a week after the removal of the two side nodules. Mild conjunctival hyperaemia was present. The follicles had become smaller in size. The patient had become free from symptoms. The middle mollusc was left as such to see if this was capable of maintaining the follicular conjunctivitis.
| Treatment and Follow Up | | |
Before the operation, right eye received Achromycin oily drops thrice daily but with no significant improvement.After the removal of two side nodules, the treatment was suspended.
The patient being asymptomatic failed to report regularly. On 27 th July 1957 (after two months) he turned up complaining of inflammation of the right lower lid since two days. In place of the left-over mollusc a 3 mm long extruded mass of dry cylindrical
material was seen. It came off easily leaving a small oozing depression in the ciliary margin. Mild conjunctival hyperaemia and the follicular hypertrophy were still present, but the latter was much less compared to the picture [Figure - 1] taken on 7th June, 1957. The patient remained asymptomatic and when last seen two months later in September, both eyes looked alike and normal.
| Discussion | | |
A spontaneous cure of about a three months old nodule of molluscum contagiosum in a young adult is described. The follicular hypertrophy of the conjunctiva which is a toxic manifestation to the virus particles, disappeared when the lid margin was cleared of all the nodules.
Occasional spontaneous disappearance of nodules of molluscum contagiosum is reported - Duke-Elder (1952). Sometimes they 'break down and suppurate, finally healing without scarring (Turtz, 1942; Julianelle and James, 1943; Saubermann, 1948, Mathiew and Henery 1948). They may persist for many months giving no symptoms, when situated away from the lid margin.[5]
| References | | |
| 1. | Duke-Elder : (1952). Vol. 2 (1943) Text Book of Ophthalmology, Kimpton, London 1.  |
| 2. | Julianelle and James (1943) Amer. J. Ophthal., 26, 565. |
| 3. | Mathieu and Henery : (1948) Bull. S. d'O. Paris, No. 7, 449. |
| 4. | Saubermann : (1948) Ophthalmologica, 66, 107. |
| 5. | Turtz : (1942) Amer. J. Ophthal., 25, 452 |
[Figure - 1], [Figure - 2], [Figure - 3]
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