Giant molluscum contagiosum: does it affect truly immunocompetent individuals?

Sir, Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a skin infection caused by a double-stranded DNA virus of the family Poxviridae manifesting clinically as asymptomatic single or multiple skin-coloured papules with umbilicated centres. It is a universally distributed and very common disease affecting mainly young children, sexually active adults and immunocompromised patients (1). In conditions with altered immunity such as atopic dermatitis, corticosteroid and immunosuppressive therapy, sarcoidosis, leukaemias, Wiskott Aldrich syndrome and AIDS, atypical lesions of MC may occur, often reaching a large size (2). We present here a case of disseminated giant molluscum contagiosum in a patient without past history of immunodeficiency.