Cancers of the vulva and penis, with the most common subtype being squamous cell carcinoma, can also present as genital ulcers, but leukemias such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute promyelotic leukemia have also been identified. Infectious non-sexually transmitted causes
Even lesser common etiologies of genital ulcers include fungal infection, secondary bacterial infections, and parasitic infections.Fungal infections are rare causes of genital ulcers, but candida albicans infection is typically the most common source, and is more prevalent in patients with a history of diabetes mellitus, chronic steroid use, or other immunodeficiencies. There have also been rare case reports of paracoccidioidomycosis, zygomycosis and histoplasmosis infections causing genital ulcers.Parasitic infections such as amoebiasis and leishmaniasis can present in cutaneous form in the genital regions. This can be confused with a sexually transmitted disease or sepsis due to their tendency to present with additional systemic symptoms.Genital tuberculosis can also present as a genital ulcer, either in the form of cutaneous tuberculosis from a systemic infection, or a primary tuberculosis chancre at the site of inoculation via direct genital contact with infected sputum. Cutaneous tuberculosis typically presents initially as red or yellow nodules that eventually break down to form soft, painful, and roughly circular ulcers, which as a rule are covered in a pseudomembrane. Primary tuberculosis chancre, on the other hand, often presents as a painless ulcer with well defined edges that appears rather nonspecific. References
External links
Genital herpes - self-care, A.D.A.M.
The most common non-infectious sources of genital ulcers are first Behcets disease, and second drug reaction.Behcets syndrome is a chronic systemic vasculitis infection that is defined by recurrent oral and genital aphthous ulcers but can also affect many other organ systems, such as the eyes, ears, nervous system, heart, lungs, joints, and intestines. Behcets syndrome commonly presents in the 30-40 age range and is more common in the Middle East and Asia. There is a familial component to Behcets syndrome since it has associations with the HLA-B51 gene.Causes of drug induced genital ulcers take the form of Stevens–Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme, and fixed drug eruptions in response to a diverse list of medications. Stevens–Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis are more likely than erythema multiforme to have genital manifestations although all present with a toxic appearing patient. A fixed drug eruption in comparison does not present as a toxic appearing patient but rather single or multiple erythematous patches that vary in size and shape which eventually turn dark brown in color and become itchy. The defining characteristic is that these drug eruptions appear in the same location each time the offending medication is used, and will resolve on their own.Other potential causes of non-infectious genital ulcers are diverse, but can include sexual trauma, Lipschutz ulcers, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohns disease, lichen planus, lichen sclerosis, and immunobullous disease such as pemphigous vulgaris, since bullous pemphigoid is less likely to occur on the genitals.