I am writing to inquire about a virus known as "molluscum contagiosum." My boyfriend has it, and I am worried. I don't want it, whatever it is. Can he get rid of it, or is it like herpes? I have asked around, but not many people know exactly what it is.

Virginia

Molluscum contagiosum is a skin infection caused by a virus of the same name. This virus is related to the smallpox virus but has never been grown in the laboratory. The infection causes skin lesions that resemble the common wart -- small, firm papules or bumps that can have a small indentation in the center ("umbilication"). Sometimes, a white, cheesy material can be expressed from the bumps. The bumps are present on exposed areas of the skin in children. In adults, they can occur both on exposed areas and on the genitals. The infection seems to be spread by close contact.

Usually, the lesions of molluscum resolve without treatment in a couple of months. In HIV patients, however, another form of the disease has been described. (HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.) This form usually occurs in people of advanced age and typically causes bumps on the face or upper body, but not the genitals. The infection may not go away by itself and may continue to spread to other areas of the body. Sometimes, the lesions become quite large.

Molluscum is treated mainly for cosmetic reasons. The lesions can be simply cut out (best done by a health professional) or frozen with liquid nitrogen. This can prove quite difficult in AIDS patients, however, because the infection is more widespread. There are also reports of molluscum being eradicated with a topical antiviral agent called cidofovir (trade name Vistide).