Lipschütz ulcer, ''ulcus vulvae acutum'' or reactive non-sexually related acute genital ulcers ( en, acute ulceration of the vulva) is a rare disease characterized by painful
genital ulcers, fever, and
lymphadenopathy
Lymphadenopathy or adenopathy is a disease of the lymph nodes, in which they are abnormal in size or consistency. Lymphadenopathy of an inflammatory type (the most common type) is lymphadenitis, producing swollen or enlarged lymph nodes. In cli ...
, occurring most commonly, but not exclusively, in adolescents and young women. Previously, it was described as being more common in
virgins
Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...
.
It is not a
sexually transmitted disease, and is often misdiagnosed,
[ Retrieved on 2009-12-04.] sometimes as a symptom of
Behçet's disease.
Lipschütz ulcer is
named after
A namesake is a person, geographic location, or other entity bearing the name of another.
History
The word is first attested around 1635, and probably comes from the phrase "for one's name's sake",
which originates in English Bible translations ...
Benjamin Lipschütz
Benjamin ( he, ''Bīnyāmīn''; "Son of (the) right") blue letter bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3225/kjv/wlc/0-1/ H3225 - yāmîn - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv) was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob's thir ...
, who first described it in 1912.
[ The cause is still unknown, although it has been associated with several infectious causes, including paratyphoid fever, ]cytomegalovirus
''Cytomegalovirus'' (''CMV'') (from ''cyto-'' 'cell' via Greek - 'container' + 'big, megalo-' + -''virus'' via Latin 'poison') is a genus of viruses in the order ''Herpesvirales'', in the family ''Herpesviridae'', in the subfamily ''Betaherpe ...
, ''Mycoplasma pneumoniae'' and Epstein–Barr virus infection
Signs and symptoms
The most common presentation is a single large, deep ulcer (although several smaller ulcers may occur) in the internal surface of one or both labia minora.[
]
Diagnosis
The diagnosis is mainly clinical and centred in eliminating other more common causes for vulvar ulcers. Nevertheless, it has been proposed that Epstein-Barr detection using polymerase chain reaction for virus genome can help to reach sooner a diagnosis.
Treatment
Treatment is symptomatic, and usually of little value; in most cases, the ulcer heals spontaneously within four to six weeks, sometimes leaving scars. Topical analgesic
An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic (American English), analgaesic (British English), pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve relief from pain (that is, analgesia or pain management). It ...
s and anesthetics, as well as topical application of disinfectants/ astringents such as potassium permanganate (in sitz bath
A sitz bath or hip bath is a bath in which a person sits in water up to the hips. It is used to relieve discomfort and pain in the lower part of the body, for example, due to hemorrhoids (piles), anal fissures, perianal fistulas, rectal surgery, ...
s), is commonly used.[ In severe cases, a combination of systemic glucocorticoids and broad-spectrum antibiotics has been recommended.
]
Epidemiology
The disorder typically appears among young girls and adolescents but cases in children as young as 17 months have been reported.
History
The disease was first described in October 1912 by Galician-born Austrian dermatologist and microbiologist Benjamin Lipschütz
Benjamin ( he, ''Bīnyāmīn''; "Son of (the) right") blue letter bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3225/kjv/wlc/0-1/ H3225 - yāmîn - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv) was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob's thir ...
, who published a series of four cases in girls aged 14 to 17.[ He initially ascribed the ulcer to infection with "''Bacillus crassus''" ('' Lactobacillus acidophilus'').][
]
See also
* Vulvovaginal health
In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hyme ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lipschutz Ulcer
Gynaecologic disorders
Virus-related cutaneous conditions
Rare diseases