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Year : 1985  |  Volume : 33  |  Issue : 4  |  Page : 263-265

Unusual cases of molluscum contagiosum of eye


Department of Ophthalmology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India

Correspondence Address:
V A Rao
Department of Ophthalmology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry
India
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Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


PMID: 3842837

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How to cite this article:
Rao V A, Baskaran R K, Krishnan M M. Unusual cases of molluscum contagiosum of eye. Indian J Ophthalmol 1985;33:263-5

How to cite this URL:
Rao V A, Baskaran R K, Krishnan M M. Unusual cases of molluscum contagiosum of eye. Indian J Ophthalmol [serial online] 1985 [cited 2024 Mar 29];33:263-5. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/ijo/pages/default.aspx/text.asp?1985/33/4/263/30806

Table 1

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Table 1

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Molluscum contagiosum is a typical skin disease of viral etiology in which tumour­like nodules with a flattened umbilicated top are found in various parts of the body. Initially they are firm and solid, but gradually they soften when a waxy-looking material exudes out of them[1]. Molluscum is fairly common in the skin of the lids especially in children. It can occur as a solitary or multiple nodules on the lid and may vary in size from 0.5 mm to a lesion that covers the lid completely[2]. A solitary molluscum frequently cause unilateral refrac­tive conjunctivitis[3],[4]. Rarely it may present as a conjunctival nodule[5], or corneal nodules[6],[7]. The present paper describes 8 cases of unusual presentation of molluscum contagiosum of eye in children.


  MATERIALS, METHODS AND OBSERVATIONS Top


8 cases of molluscum contagiosum in children who attended the JIPMER Hospital in the past 3 years were presented with varia­tions in the clinical picture [Table - 1]. The diagnosis in all these cases were confirmed by histopathological examination after excision.


  Discussion Top


Molluscum contagiosum occurs more commonly in children[1]. The youngest case report was of a six-months old baby[3]. Three of our patients were below 2 years of age and the youngest age in this series was a 8 months old baby.

Molluscum contagiosum can occur as a solitary nodule on the lid/lid margin or it may be multiple of varying size[2]. In 3 of our cases there were 2 nodules while in the other cases it was a single nodule. Mollus­cum contagiosum usually presents as a small nodule less than 5 mm. size, but very rarely cases with giant nodules are reported in literature[2],[9]. Three of our cases were of more than 1 cm. in size and they were multiple [Figure - 1].

In the eye the usual sites of involve­ment of molluscum contagiosum are the upper lid, the lower lid and the lid margin. In our cases the lesions appeared at these usual sites, but in one case it was at the lateral canthus [Figure - 2]A which is a very rare site of involvement[6]. In four cases it was at the upper lid margin producing kerato­conjunctivities, comparable to the case reported by Balakrishnan[3].

Typical molluscum lesions are described as globular nodules with a flattened umbili­cated top[6]. In our series, in only one case there were two small umbilicated nodules, while other cases showed variable clinical presentation. One case presented as a fungating mass clinically appearing as granuloma pyogenicum while in other case it presented as a chalazion extending posteriorly toward the tarsal plate. One case presented as a lid abscess near the lateral canthus. [Figure - 2]C

As secondary conjunctivitis is the more typical clinical sequel to molluscum conta­giosum occuring on the lid margins. If no treatment is given, corneal complications may occur[1],[3]. In our series, four cases of molluscum contagiosum occuring on the lid margin presented with keratoconjunctivitis. [Figure - 2]B.


  Summary Top


Eight cases of molluscum contagiosum occurring in children below the age of 9 years, 3 of which were of giant size are reported with special emphasis on the variable clinical presentation, size and distribution.

 
  References Top

1.
Duke-Elder S., 1952, Text book of Ophthal­mology, Vol. V. London, Kimpton, pp. 4892-­4894.  Back to cited text no. 1
    
2.
V. Meer Maastricht, BCJ, 1950, Amer. J. Ophthalmol, 33 : 965-967.  Back to cited text no. 2
    
3.
Balakrishnan, E 1964, J. All India Ophthal­mol, Soc., 12: 173-175,  Back to cited text no. 3
    
4.
Curtin, B.J., and Theodore, F.H., 1955, Amer J. Ophthalmol , 39 : 302-307.  Back to cited text no. 4
    
5.
Mathur, S.P., 1960, Brit. J. Ophthalmol., 44 572-573.  Back to cited text no. 5
    
6.
Quill, T.H., 1940, Proc. Mayo Clinic, 15: 139-142.  Back to cited text no. 6
    
7.
Sysi, R., 1941, Acta Ophthalmol. 19: 25-27.  Back to cited text no. 7
    
8.
Vannas, S., Lapinleima, K., 1967, Acta Ophthalmol., 45 : 314-320.  Back to cited text no. 8
    
9.
Sood, G.C., Shashi Kapoor, Mahableshwar, 1975, J. Paed. Ophthalmol., Vol. 12: 4 :267-269.  Back to cited text no. 9
    


    Figures

  [Figure - 1], [Figure - 2]
 
 
    Tables

  [Table - 1]


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