Molluscum contagiosum is most common in which groups?

Molluscum contagiosum is most common in which groups?

• A. Children, sexually active adults, and people with HIV
• B. Only elderly men
• C. Only newborns
• D. Exclusive to healthcare workers

Answer: (A)

Molluscum contagiosum is a skin infection caused by a poxvirus that spreads mainly through direct skin-to-skin contact and, less commonly, via shared objects. It tends to appear in groups of people who have close contact or who have weakened immune defenses. In children, frequent play and close interactions make transmission common. In sexually active adults, the virus can spread through sexual contact, leading to genital or perineal lesions. In people with HIV or other forms of immunosuppression, infection is more likely and lesions can be more numerous or larger because the immune system isn’t able to control the virus as well. This combination of groups—children, sexually active adults, and those with HIV—best reflects where molluscum contagiosum is most commonly seen.

Molluscum contagiosum is a skin infection caused by a poxvirus that spreads mainly through direct skin-to-skin contact and, less commonly, via shared objects. It tends to appear in groups of people who have close contact or who have weakened immune defenses. In children, frequent play and close interactions make transmission common. In sexually active adults, the virus can spread through sexual contact, leading to genital or perineal lesions. In people with HIV or other forms of immunosuppression, infection is more likely and lesions can be more numerous or larger because the immune system isn’t able to control the virus as well. This combination of groups—children, sexually active adults, and those with HIV—best reflects where molluscum contagiosum is most commonly seen.