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

Koliou, Maria G.; Kakourou, Talia; Richter, Jan; Christodoulou, Christina; Soteriades, Elpidoforos S.

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.