SEVERE GENITAL ULCERATION IN AN ACUTE EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS INFECTION

Genital ulceration is a rare manifestation of infectious mononucleosis caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). We report a girl with severe genital ulceration and tissue necrosis during primary EBV infection that required surgical debridement. The excised genital tissue was EBV polymerase chain reaction-positive whereas in situ hybridization was negative. This suggests that the ulceration was likely because of the inflammatory response to the virus and not because of the intense viral infection of the genitalia.