Painful targetoid lesions on the penis and pubis
BMJ 2023; 383 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-077403 (Published 30 November 2023) Cite this as: BMJ 2023;383:e077403
- Li-wen Zhang, attending dermatologist1,
- Juan Wu, attending dermatologist2,
- Rong-hua Xu, professor of neurosurgery3,
- Tao Chen, professor of dermatology1
- 1Department of Dermatovenereology, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- 2Sexually Transmitted Disease Institute, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- 3Institute of Dermatology, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Correspondence to: T Chen 13980427003@163.com
A man in his 20s presented to the dermatology clinic with a one week history of fever, myalgia, and malaise and a five day history of painful lesions on the penis and pubis. The lesions had gradually increased in number and size over 2-3 days, and each developed a central umbilicated necrotic black crust with peripheral oedematous erythema (fig 1). The left inguinal lymph nodes were enlarged and tender. No other lesions were evident on the body or in the mucosal areas. The patient reported several same sex sexual encounters during the previous two months. Serological tests for syphilis and HIV antibodies and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for varicella zoster virus and herpes simplex virus were negative. The patient had no …
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