Molluscum contagiosum virus

Molluscum contagiosum virus
Negatively stained transmission electron micrograph of Molluscum contagiosum virus virions
Virus classification
(unranked):	Virus
Realm:	Varidnaviria
Kingdom:	Bamfordvirae
Phylum:	Nucleocytoviricota
Class:	Pokkesviricetes
Order:	Chitovirales
Family:	Poxviridae
Genus:	Molluscipoxvirus
Species:	Molluscum contagiosum virus

Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) is a species of DNA poxvirus that causes the human skin infection molluscum contagiosum.^[1] Molluscum contagiosum affects about 200,000 people a year, about 1% of all diagnosed skin diseases. Diagnosis is based on the size and shape of the skin lesions and can be confirmed with a biopsy, as the virus cannot be routinely cultured.^[2] Molluscum contagiosum virus is the only species in the genus Molluscipoxvirus.^[3] MCV is a member of the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae of family Poxviridae.^[4] Other commonly known viruses that reside in the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae are variola virus (cause of smallpox) and monkeypox virus.^[3]

The poxvirus family uniquely contains both non-enveloped particles (mature virions), and enveloped particles (extracellular virions).^[5] The structure of the virions is consistent with that of others in the poxvirus family: they are composed of a nucleocapsid, core envelope, lateral body, and an extracellular envelope. Like other poxviruses, MCV is a DNA virus that replicates in the cytoplasm instead of the nucleus. Because of this, the virus must bring all necessary enzymes for replication with it or encode the enzymes in its genome.