Molecular epidemiology of Australian isolates of molluscum contagiosum

Abstract

Molluscum contagiosum lesions obtained from 75 Australian patients, 22 (29%) of whom were HIV positive, were examined by restriction endonuclease analysis and Southern blot hybridisation using radiolabelled and digoxigenin-labelled MCV DNA probes. The isolates were classified (MCV 1, 1v, 2, and 2v) on the basis of these results, which were in turn correlated with the clinical features of each lesion. A total of 44 (59%) of the lesions contained MCV 1 or 1v, 24 (32%) contained MCV 2 or 2v, three (4%) contained multiple MCV types, whereas four (5%) of lesions submitted contained no detectable MCV DNA. The ratio of MCV 1/1v to MCV 2/2v was determined to be approximately 1.75:1. There were substantial differences between the distribution of MCV types 1 and 2 among patients of different age groups, but no significant relationship between MCV type and the sex of the patient was found. MCV 2 was more frequently detected in lesions from anogenital areas and in immunosuppressed (HIV-positive) patients, and MCV 1 was more commonly isolated from skin rather than genital lesions, but neither association was statistically significant. Fragment F (10 kbp) obtained from the genome of MCV 1 was capable of differentiating MCV 1 from MCV 2 when used as a probe in hybridisation experiments with BamHI cut samples and may be useful when small amounts of lesion prevents differentiation by direct visualisation of restriction endonuclease fragments.

Molecular epidemiology of molluscum contagiosum virus and analysis of the host‐serum antibody response in Spanish HIV‐negative patients

“…Our data showed a wide variation in the lesion number, size, and location among patients. No correlation was found among patient age, sex, and the size and number of lesions, as described by other authors Thompson et al, 1990]. A slight trend between anatomical location of MCV lesions and the age of the patient was detected.…”

“…Children under 10 years were most commonly infected by MCV, a ®nding similar to that found in other geographical areas Billstein and Mattaliano, 1990;Thompson et al, 1990]. Until triple therapy was applied in AIDS patients, MCV infection had been a frequent opportunistic disease [Schwartz and Myskowski, 1992;Thompson et al, 1992;Ray and Gately, 1994].…”

“…The subtypes and their variants produce lesions that are similar in number, size, and anatomical location. Likewise, no correlation was found between subtype and the sex of the patient Scholz et al, 1988], although unequal distribution of MCV subtypes among patients of different age groups has been reported [Thompson et al, 1990]. Molecular epidemiological studies of MCV have shown a signi®cant variability in the geographical distribution of the two major subtypes, with MCVI:MCVII ratios ranging from 1.75:1 [Thompson et al, 1990] to 28:1 [Scholz et al, 1988].…”

“…MCV exists as two genetic subtypes (MCVI and MCVII), each with several variants that differ in the restriction enzyme pattern of the viral DNA Scholz et al, 1988;Thompson et al, 1990]. The subtypes and their variants produce lesions that are similar in number, size, and anatomical location.…”

Detection and typing of molluscum contagiosum virus in skin lesions by using a simple lysis method and polymerase chain reaction

“…In addition, the PCR strategy developed in our laboratory provides a novel method for MCV typing. Determination of the MCV subtype has been performed by restriction analysis of virus DNA Scholz et al, 1988;Thompson et al, 1990;Nakamura et al, 19921. This methodology requires the isolation of a significant amount of DNA from the skin lesions and/ or the use of Southern blot techniques to detect the MCV fragmentation pattern.…”