Acute Genital Ulcers in a Woman Secondary to COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report

Abstract

Acute genital ulcers (AGU) have been associated with various pathogens, such as Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV). However, cases of AGU associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are rare, and this disease significantly impairs human quality of life. In this case, we report a 37-year-old woman who presented with a five-day history of a painful genital ulcer and fever. A month earlier, she had experienced a COVID-19 infection that resolved without medical therapy. Physical examination revealed that multiple asymmetric ulcers presented on labia minora covered with whitish exudates. The patient, without any high-risk sexual behavior, or a personal or family history of autoimmune disorders or inflammatory bowel disease, was diagnosed with COVID-19-related AGU after ruling out other infectious and immune diseases. Following a two-week treatment of oral prednisone, her vulvar edema, ulcers, and fever improved significantly. This case suggests that AGU may be triggered by a COVID-19 infection.