
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions β written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Molluscum contagiosum differential diagnosis
Introduction

Overview
Overview
Molluscum contagiosum must be differentiated from other diseases that cause inflammatory or ulcertive skin , genital, or mucosal lesions including chicken pox, herpes zoster, erythema multiforme, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, pyogenic granuloma.
Differential Diagnosis
Differential Diagnosis
Different conditions that cause a round papular rash must be differentiated from molluscum contagiosum based on the appearance of the lesions such as:[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
| Disease | Features | Images |
|---|---|---|
| Molluscum contagiosum |
|
|
| Cryptococcosis[8]Β |
|
|
| Histoplasmosis [9][10][11][12] |
|
|
| Penicillium marneffei[13] |
|
|
| Condyloma acuminatum [14] | ||
| Pyogenic granuloma[15][16][17] |
|
|
| Langerhans cell histiocytosis[18][19][20][21][22] |
|
|
| Basal cell carcinoma[23] |
|
|
| Amelanotic melanoma |
|
References
References
- β Hartman-Adams H, Banvard C, Juckett G (2014). “Impetigo: diagnosis and treatment”. Am Fam Physician. 90 (4): 229β35. PMIDΒ 25250996.
- β Mehta N, Chen KK, Kroumpouzos G (2016). “Skin disease in pregnancy: The approach of the obstetric medicine physician”. Clin Dermatol. 34 (3): 320β6. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2016.02.003. PMIDΒ 27265069.
- β Moore, Zack S; Seward, Jane F; Lane, J Michael (2006). “Smallpox”. The Lancet. 367 (9508): 425β435. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68143-9. ISSNΒ 0140-6736.
- β Ibrahim F, Khan T, Pujalte GG (2015). “Bacterial Skin Infections”. Prim Care. 42 (4): 485β99. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2015.08.001. PMIDΒ 26612370.
- β Ramoni S, Boneschi V, Cusini M (2016). “Syphilis as “the great imitator”: a case of impetiginoid syphiloderm”. Int J Dermatol. 55 (3): e162β3. doi:10.1111/ijd.13072. PMIDΒ 26566601.
- β Kimura U, Yokoyama K, Hiruma M, Kano R, Takamori K, Suga Y (2015). “Tinea faciei caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes (molecular type Arthroderma benhamiae ) mimics impetigoΒ : a case report and literature review of cases in Japan”. Med Mycol J. 56 (1): E1β5. doi:10.3314/mmj.56.E1. PMIDΒ 25855021.
- β CEDEF (2012). “[Item 87–Mucocutaneous bacterial infections]”. Ann Dermatol Venereol. 139 (11 Suppl): A32β9. doi:10.1016/j.annder.2012.01.002. PMIDΒ 23176858.
- β Miyazato A (2016). “[Mechanism of Cryptococcus Meningoencephalitis]”. Med Mycol J (in Japanese). 57 (1): J27β32. doi:10.3314/mmj.57.J27. PMIDΒ 26936349.
- β Knox KS, Hage CA (2010). “Histoplasmosis”. Proc Am Thorac Soc. 7 (3): 169β72. doi:10.1513/pats.200907-069AL. PMIDΒ 20463244.
- β Kauffman CA (2009). “Histoplasmosis”. Clin Chest Med. 30 (2): 217β25, v. doi:10.1016/j.ccm.2009.02.002. PMIDΒ 19375629.
- β Dellinger RP, Levy MM, Carlet JM, Bion J, Parker MM, Jaeschke R, Reinhart K, Angus DC, Brun-Buisson C, Beale R, Calandra T, Dhainaut JF, Gerlach H, Harvey M, Marini JJ, Marshall J, Ranieri M, Ramsay G, Sevransky J, Thompson BT, Townsend S, Vender JS, Zimmerman JL, Vincent JL (2008). “Surviving Sepsis Campaign: international guidelines for management of severe sepsis and septic shock: 2008”. Critical Care Medicine. 36 (1): 296β327. doi:10.1097/01.CCM.0000298158.12101.41. PMIDΒ 18158437. Retrieved 2012-09-16. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help) - β Bone RC, Balk RA, Cerra FB, Dellinger RP, Fein AM, Knaus WA, Schein RM, Sibbald WJ. Definitions for sepsis and organ failure and guidelines for the use of innovative therapies in sepsis. The ACCP/SCCM Consensus Conference Committee. American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine. Chest. 1992 Jun;101(6):1644-55. PMID 1303622.
- β Supparatpinyo K, Chiewchanvit S, Hirunsri P, Baosoung V, Uthammachai C, Chaimongkol B; et al. (1992). “An efficacy study of itraconazole in the treatment of Penicillium marneffei infection”. J Med Assoc Thai. 75 (12): 688β91. PMIDΒ 1339213.
- β Cortez, Michelle Fay and Pettypiece, Shannon. “Merck Cancer Shot Cuts Genital Warts, Lesions in Men”. Bloomberg News. (Bloomberg.com) 13 Nov 2008.
- β Freedberg, et al. (2003). Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine. (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-138076-0.
- β Jafarzadeh H, Sanatkhani M, Mohtasham N (December 2006). “Oral pyogenic granuloma: a review” (β Scholar search). J Oral Sci. 48 (4): 167β75. doi:10.2334/josnusd.48.167. PMIDΒ 17220613. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
- β Nthumba PM (2008). “Giant pyogenic granuloma of the thigh: a case report”. J Med Case Reports. 2 (1): 95. doi:10.1186/1752-1947-2-95. PMCΒ 2329656. PMIDΒ 18377654.
- β Grana N (2014). “Langerhans cell histiocytosis”. Cancer Control. 21 (4): 328β34. PMIDΒ 25310214.
- β Harmon CM, Brown N (2015). “Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: A Clinicopathologic Review and Molecular Pathogenetic Update”. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 139 (10): 1211β4. doi:10.5858/arpa.2015-0199-RA. PMIDΒ 26414464.
- β DiCaprio MR, Roberts TT (2014). “Diagnosis and Management of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis”. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 22 (10): 643β652. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-22-10-643. PMIDΒ 25281259.
- β Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Wikipedia (2015) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langerhans_cell_histiocytosis Accessed on February, 2 2016
- β Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Radiopeadia (2015) http://radiopaedia.org/articles/langerhans-cell-histiocytosis Accessed on February, 3 2016
- β Epstein EH, Shepard JA, Flotte TJ (2008). “Case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Case 3-2008. An 80-year-old woman with cutaneous basal-cell carcinomas and cysts of the jaws”. N Engl J Med. 358 (4): 393β401. doi:10.1056/NEJMcpc0707893. PMIDΒ 18216361. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mahshid Mir, M.D. [2], JoΓ£o AndrΓ© Alves Silva, M.D. [3]
