The following symptoms and complaints may indicate a molle ulcer:
Leading symptoms
- Early symptoms are papules (nodule-like change on skin or mucosa) that change after a few days to pustules (pustules on skin or mucosa), which then turn into 1-3 cm painful ulcers (ulcers) with soft, purulent edges
- Painful lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement).
The above lesions heal on their own after weeks if left untreated. However, autoinoculation (self-inflicted spread of pathogens from one infected part of the body to another) can cause further ulcers, which are usually limited to the anogenital region (body area located around the anus (anus) and genitals (genitals)).
After several days to a few weeks, there is unilateral or occasionally bilateral lymphadenopathy after healing. This is very pronounced and shows enlarged, painful lymph nodes caked together.
In male patients, the lymphadenopathy progresses in about 25% of cases to a purulent meltdown/bubonitis (lat. bubo “bump”) with breakthrough of the abscess cavity; as a result, an ulcer forms, which has great similarity to the primary ulcer of molle’s ulcer.
In the case of a bacterial superinfection (infestation by further (bacterial) pathogens), phageenic progressions (ulcus molle gangraenosum; gr. phagein eat, eating; ulcers with progressive spreading in area or depth) with considerable tissue destruction are possible.
Associated symptoms
- Females:
- Fluor vaginalis (vaginal discharge).
- Dysuria (painful urination).
- Dyspareunia (pain during sexual intercourse).
- Men and women:
- Painful defecation (bowel movement).
- Rectal bleeding (bleeding from the rectum).
Predilection sites (body regions where the disease occurs preferentially).
- Penis
- Labia
- Area around the anus (anus)