Abstract

Since 2003, an ongoing lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) proctitis outbreak has been reported in industrialised countries with a new variant designated L2b. Only men who have sex with men (MSM) are affected and most are HIV co-infected; delayed or incorrect diagnoses are frequent. We report a rare clinical case of LGV primary stage called “bubonulus” with penile adenopathy and secondary local acute lymphoedema in an MSM seropositive man. This is the first case described of this clinical presentation with a L2b genovar strain, occurring immediately after use of a sex toy. It suggests that this presentation is favoured by host immunity and behavioural factors. These factors may also play a part in the new outbreak of LGV.