Mycoplasma pneumoniae as a cause of vulvar ulcers in a non-sexually active girl: a case report

J Med Case Rep. 2017 Jul 9;11(1):187. doi: 10.1186/s13256-017-1345-9.

Abstract

Background: Non-sexually active young females very rarely develop genital ulcers. Such ulcers pose a diagnostic challenge as well as physical and emotional distress for patients and family; therefore, the search for their etiology requires exhaustive investigation. Several viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus have been associated with this entity; however, Mycoplasma pneumoniae has rarely been linked to such ulcers in the literature. We present a case of vulvar ulcers in a non-sexually active young girl during the course of pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Case presentation: A 10-year-old non-sexually active girl of cypriot origin presented at a hospital with fever, dry cough, and acute vulvar ulcers. Laboratory investigations as well as imaging studies revealed Mycoplasma pneumoniae as the cause of her pneumonia and acute vulvar ulcers.

Conclusions: Although a rare cause of vulvar ulcers, Mycoplasma pneumoniae should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute vulvar ulcers coexisting with respiratory symptoms.

Keywords: Acute vulvar ulcers; Cyprus; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Non-sexually active females.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Child
  • Cough / diagnostic imaging*
  • Cough / microbiology
  • Female
  • Fever / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Mycoplasma Infections / drug therapy
  • Mycoplasma Infections / microbiology*
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / isolation & purification*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ulcer / drug therapy
  • Ulcer / microbiology*
  • Vulvar Diseases / drug therapy
  • Vulvar Diseases / microbiology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antibodies, Bacterial