Molluscum Contagiosum Testing Singapore | HIV PEP
Molluscum Contagiosum Testing in Singapore: Molluscum contagiosum is a skin infection caused by a virus. The infection causes bumps on the upper layers of the skin surface. It is easily transmitted.
Diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum
The diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum is based on the unique appearance of the lesions. A doctor can easily recognize the spots (lesions) as those of molluscum contagiosum.
If the diagnosis is uncertain, a doctor may ask for a skin biopsy to confirm the presence of the virus by microscopic tests using certain staining techniques. Biopsy is also useful to rule out other similar lesions, such as warts, other skin infections, and skin cancer.
In certain cases, a doctor may request advanced diagnostic tests, such as complement fixation tests and fluorescent antibody tests, to establish the diagnosis, if the patient’s symptoms are similar to those of other diseases. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is a reliable test to detect the genetic material of molluscum contagiosum virus in skin lesions.