Cidofovir for the Treatment of Molluscum Contagiosum Virus

That cidofovir, an acyclic nucleoside phosphonate (ANP), was inhibitory to the replication of poxviruses was first demonstrated by De Clercq et al.. That its active metabolite, the diphosphate, was found to be inhibitory to the molluscum contagiosum (<i>M. contagiosum</i>) DNA polymerase was demonstrated by Watanabe and Tamaki. Twelve different independent observations have then indicated that cidofovir administered intravenously, topically or intralesionally is efficacious in the treatment of <i>M. contagiosum</i> mostly in immunosuppressed patients.