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Medical Author:

William Shapiro, MD

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Good personal hygiene is a key factor in avoiding transmission of this disease.

• MC is spread by close personal contact with infected people. Avoid skin-to-skin contact with others in order to prevent transmission.
  
  
• Transmission has been shown to occur in children from swimming pools and in the sharing of baths, towels, gym equipment, and benches.
  
  
• Because the rash can spread by autoinoculation (spread from one part of the body to another by touching the lesions), avoid scratching the lesions.
  
  
• Because sexual transmission is common in adults, avoid sexual contact with infected people. It is unclear whether condoms are effective in preventing spread of MC.

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