Genital ulcer disease
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is the most common cause of genital ulcer disease in Australia.
Syphilis is an increasingly frequent cause of genital ulcer disease, particularly in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and transgender women.
Other differential diagnoses to consider include:
- chemical burns or dermatitis from topical treatments
- skin infection caused by herpes zoster virus
- skin infection caused by gram-positive bacteria
- enteroviruses
- aphthous ulcers
- malignancies
- autoimmune conditions
- in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and transgender women, also consider
- lymphogranuloma venereum (Chlamydia trachomatis L1 to L3 serovars) – request nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) (eg polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) on the swab from an ulcer
- mpox (monkeypox)
- chancroid or donovanosis – very rare causes of genital ulcer disease in Australia; if suspected, seek expert advice.