The following symptoms and complaints may indicate lymphogranuloma venereum:
Leading symptoms
- Painless papule (vesicle) or pustule (pustule), which then disintegrates ulcerously (“ulcerated”) (so-called primary lesion) [changes at the site of infection].
- Painful unilateral or bilateral regional lymphadenopathy (enlargement of the lymph nodes; if the lymph nodes melt in with pus, they are called bubones (Latin bubo “bump”)); occurs after several weeks (secondary stage – after 10 to 30 days (2 to 6 weeks)): in the case of primary infection of the vulva (“vaginal vestibule”) or penis, the inguinal lymph nodes are affected.
- In approximately 20% of affected individuals, a furrow is seen through the Poupart’s ligament located between inguinal (“belonging to the groin”) and femoral (“belonging to the thigh“) lymph nodes. This “furrow sign” arises from a constriction of the swollen lymph nodes.
- In female patients, the inguinal lymph nodes are affected in only 20-30% of cases; deep iliac and/or perirectal lymph nodes with nonspecific back pain and abdominal discomfort are more typical here.
- Chronification with ulceration (ulceration) and extensive fistula formation and fibrosis (formation of connective tissue scars) of the affected lymphatic system sections (rectum / rectum and the genitoanal region), with subsequent lymphatic congestion (lymphedema; so-called lymphorrhoids) (tertiary stage – after 5 to 10 years). [Genitoanal symptom complex.]
Further notes on the primary lesion
- When the urethra (urethra), vagina (vagina), or rectum (rectum) are affected, the primary lesion often goes unnoticed.
- Patients with anal intercourse/anal sex may also develop massive ulcerative proctitis (painful inflammation of the mucosa in the lower intestinal segment with formation of ulcers) or perirectal abscesses (encapsulated collections of pus located in the vicinity of the rectum (rectal)).
Associated symptoms
- Fever to chills
- General feeling of illness
- Cephalgia (headache)
- Mylagia (muscle pain)
- Arthralgia (joint pain)
- Weight loss
- Meningismus (painful stiffness of the neck)
Predilection sites (areas of the body where the disease occurs preferentially).
