Molluscum vs Myrmecia Wart - Dermpath Lookalikes

A complete organized library of all my videos, digital slides, pics, & sample pathology reports is available here: kikoxp.com/posts/5084 (dermpath) & kikoxp.com/posts/5083 (bone/soft tissue sarcoma pathology).
Molluscum contagiosum and myrmecia wart (a type of verruca plantaris) can sometimes mimic one another microscopically if you haven't seen them very many times before. Comparing the two entities side by side makes it easy to tell them apart. In this video, I will show you how.
This video is geared toward medical students, pathology or dermatology residents, or practicing pathologists or dermatologists. Of course, this video is for educational purposes only and is not formal medical advice or consultation.
Presented by Jerad M. Gardner, MD. Please subscribe to my channel to be notified of new pathology teaching videos.
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[@JMGardnerMD]

A complete organized library of all my videos, digital slides, pics, & sample pathology reports is available here: kikoxp.com/posts/5084 (dermpath) & kikoxp.com/posts/5083 (bone/soft tissue sarcoma pathology).

[@hayder5391]

The best channel ever on you tube…thank you

[@HabeebDermatologist]

Thank you Sir... you are so kind and generous

[@giulioriva2544]

Very helpful to avoid pitfalls!

[@madeleine2376]

I am a pathology fellow; today I came across a slide in a recut collection that was labelled molluscum but having watched your video a few weeks ago I recognized the mistake (doubled checked features in McKee) and can say 100% its actually a plantar wart. An example of how your videos are helping people including me learn and be better. Thankyou for this video and all of the others all well.

[@JMGardnerMD]

Awesome! I’ve seen many people even practicing pathologists confuse these

[@roshannasimudeen4528]

Thanks😊 awesome as usual👍keep them coming

[@kezaevangelista9490]

Thank you very much for your detailed discussion of these confusing topics! :)

[@ahmed_atef_agour]

Thank you, great lecture, waiting for more and more.

[@KingElrosTarMinyatur]

Thanks Dr Gardner. Only 32 more videos until I've watched all your videos on dermpath :D Question: Can you do a video on septal vs lobular panniculitides?

[@JMGardnerMD]

I’ll see what I can do ;-)

[@sonymandal5961]

Thank you so much! I have a molluscum on my table right now. And I was just reading about the differences between molluscum and myrmecia. But I must say none of the books have explained the differences as well as you have. Thanks a lot sir!

[@JMGardnerMD]

Thank you for the high compliment! I’m so glad you found the video useful.

[@sonymandal5961]

Jerad Gardner 😃 Yes. It definitely was. I have recommended my students to watch your channel for the basics in dermapathology.

[@JMGardnerMD]

That’s awesome. Thank you!

[@triad6425]

Studying for Boards and this is a god send. Thank you.

[@JMGardnerMD]

I have tons of board review videos listed here: kikoxp.com/posts/5084 (dermpath) & kikoxp.com/posts/5083 (bone/soft tissue sarcoma pathology). Good luck!

[@halaaskar2633]

Thank you so much very helpful really 💐

[@kashmisharma6591]

Superb...👍👍take home message .regular vs irregular inclusions and palms n soles vs other sites..thank u so much sir..ur points are invaluable..

[@diviloveable]

Thank you so much

[@drsaradindudas5859]

Thank you sir , it's very helpful

[@dibyanshusekharmohapatra9929]

Super helpful sir, thank you

[@mohitrajpal266]

Thanku Very Much Sir Very Well Explained

[@shiromipathiraja]

Thank you.from Sri Lanka.

[@daliaqmt7393]

thanks alot

[@dr.mohammedkherbetawy4670]

Thank you 👏

[@ncorry8491]

Thanks

[@SandhyaRamachandran]

nice n very useful Jerad ! tanq. One feature that I came across is: the inclusion bodies in Molluscum push the nucleus to the periphery while in Myrmecia, they surround the central nucleus or there is a halo between the nucleus and the inclusion body ... is it a useful differentiating feature ?

[@JMGardnerMD]

Never thought of it that way but yes I think that's a good point!

[@SandhyaRamachandran]

☺️

[@mikitamac16]

My husband got molluscum contagiosum very bad all over his body and inside his mouth also 102 temperature😔

[@bhushanmadke5695]

Calcium deposits looks pretty similar to viral particles of myrmecia warts

[@JeradGardner]

bhushan madke good point!

[@bhushanmadke5695]

What about incurving rete pegs in verruca?

[@JeradGardner]

bhushan madke yes I find that very helpful. Did I forget to mention that in video?!

[@sumbulwarsi2850]

Hello sir Can you please tell me how to differentiate between myrmecia and verruca vulgaris? Will verruca vulgaris show inclusion bodies?

[@JMGardnerMD]

Myrmecia has the big pink/purple inclusions and is usually on acral palm or sole skin.

[@JMGardnerMD]

Myrmecia has the big pink/purple inclusions and is usually on acral palm or sole skin.

[@sumbulwarsi2850]

Yes sir...but are inclusions present in verruca vulgaris?

[@co2thad1]

With your knowledge of viruses specifically the Molluscum, what do you recommend for cure/treatment as most effective?

[@JMGardnerMD]

I only diagnose Molluscum. I do not treat it so I’m not an expert at this. I have seen dermatologists treat it by freezing with liquid nitrogen or by applying cantharidin liquid which makes lesions blister and then go away. There may be other treatments I’m not aware of. Please see your dermatologist to discuss which treatment plan is best for you.

[@co2thad1]

Jerad Gardner, MD thanks for the reply, freezing has only been semi effective as some lesions reappear in the scar tissue left over, i would not recommend that for anyone unless they have a single lesion. An Apple cider vinegar soaked cotton ball applied and left on with a band aid over night has been very effective and the Terrasil IPL cream has also seemed to be most effective. Those in conjunction with using a base oil like coconut or jojoba oil mixed with iodine and med grade tea trea oil applied to entire area. It’s a nightmare of a virus. Also started supplementing Collustrum. After 9 months it’s just about completely clear. Naturasil was ineffective, Zymaderm was ineffective as a remedy and not sure it ever completely cleared a lesion, molluscumblast was ineffective. I also had a dermatologist misdiagnose the condition, one went to town with the nitrogen that left scars and so did another. I would highly recommend that no one use the nitrogen. Try apple cider vinegar first repeated over days to get the immune response and clear the lesion without scarring. This info is for the people who have gone down the rabbit hole looking for a remedy for this nightmare virus. I never tried the cantharidin but did try it on a wart and was ineffective. What did work for a wart was oil of oregano after having, no exaggeration, 7 treatments from dermatologists. A combination of liquid nitro, burning, scraping, and the cantharidin all ineffective and quite painful with lengthy recovery on a wart on my finger tip very close to nail bed. Can’t believe how resilient molluscum has been as I’m an Uber healthy young active person! I wonder what the factors are for duration of infection, maybe skin/blood type? Viruses are fascinating...much better at a distance 🤓

[@sanyamehra]

@@co2thad1 this is making me cry at 2am, I've ruined my skin trying to get rid of it

[@aashishsharma9106]

1 dislike was from the pox virus

[@generalahmed5774]

Hey doc. I had a single raised bump/Papule I went to a dermatologist and he took a look and said it looks like Molluscum he didn’t test it or anything and treated it now it’s gone. My only concern it now is could he misdiagnose it it was in my genital could it of been a genital wart? Herpes? Syphills? Thanks

[@JMGardnerMD]

I can’t diagnose you or give you personal medical advice since I’m not your doctor. But I can give you some general info. Molluscum looks pretty distinct clinically. It looks different from those other diseases you mention. dermatologists often diagnose molluscum without performing a biopsy. If you have further concerns, be sure to discuss with your dermatologist Best wishes for good health.

[@generalahmed5774]

Jerad Gardner, MD thanks for the reply doc it means a lot. I understand that you can’t diagnose or give me personal medical advise but I need more info about Molluscum and how it looks. Since I can’t go back to the dermatologist that seen the papule because he left the country,I just hope you can answer a few of my questions to ease my mind, thanks. 1) does Molluscum have to have a dimple/dent in the middle? 2) when I seen the dermatologist he told me to stretch the skin around the papule, while I stretched the skin he looked at the papule through a dermascope. Why did he ask me to stretch the skin around the papule? Is a dermascope a good way to diagnose Molluscum? 3) when I stretched the skin I remember seeing a depression in the middle ( it seemed like the middle was sinking in) but when i didn’t stretch the skin I didn’t see a depression. ( does it sound like Molluscum?)

[@JMGardnerMD]

Yes molluscum often has a dimple (“umbilication”) in the middle. I’m not sure about dermoscopy finding or if stretching the lesion changes appearance.

[@generalahmed5774]

Jerad Gardner, MD but does Molluscum always have to a dimple Doc? Also what’s the difference in a genital wart and Molluscum in appearance wise thanks

[@generalahmed5774]

Please doc reply I need more information thanks.

[@mrbeardanny2761]

The thumbnail looks like slime