Ultrastructural Feature of Molluscum Contagiosum Virus

Yoon, Chul Jong; Chi, Je G

Abstract

Molluscum contagiosum virus(MCV) infection occurs in both sporadic and epidemic forms, and affects children more frequently. The skin lesions are small, pinkish and wartlike tumor. MCV has not been transmitted to animals and nQt propagated in cell culture. Therefore the viruses in human lesions can only be demonstrated by electron microscopy. Histologically, characteristic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies (called molluscum bodies) are formed in infected epithelial cells. They gradually enlarge and eventually fill the cell. Ultrastructure of molluscum bodies in infected cells showed a large number of MCV particles that are variable-sized, spherical, ellipsoidal and brick-shaped. Early viral replication stage shows small dense bodies in the nucleus and then reveal immature MCV that consist of homogeneous rounded core and separated capsidal membrane from the cytoplasm matrix In advanced stage, shrinked nucleus with irregular membrane moves into marginal area of the cell. The spherical fon-ns represented immature viruses in cytoplasm matrix, whereas the brick-sphaped forms represented mature viruses in the inclusion of cytoplasm.