Lipschütz ulcer: report and follow-up of a clinical case

Case Report

Abstract

Acute genital ulcer, also referred to as “Lipschütz ulcer”, is a relatively uncommon non-sexually transmitted condition characterized by the rapid onset of a necrotic and painful ulcer within the vulvar region. This condition predominantly affects adolescents and young women, irrespective of sexual activity, and may manifest with symptoms resembling those of influenza or mononucleosis. Notably, acute genital ulcers have been linked to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection as well as other viral or bacterial infections; nonetheless, the etiology often remains elusive. The case under consideration involves a 13-year-old girl who, devoid of preceding vaginal or oral ulceration and without a history of sexual contact, presented with a rapidly progressive vulvar ulcer accompanied by episodic low-grade fever and upper respiratory tract infection, commencing two days prior. Following the exclusion of infectious causative factors, the lesion spontaneously resolved, with Epstein-Barr serology yielding indeterminate results, culminating in the diagnosis of Lipschütz ulcer.