Necrotising balanitis due to a generalised primary infection with herpes simplex virus type 2

Balanitis and balanoposthitis: a review

OBJECTIVES

To give an overview of the literature on balanitis, with a special emphasis on infective causes.

METHOD

A data search was performed using the OVID CD plus Medline 1967-1995, using balanitis and balanoposthitis as textword search strategy. Specific subjects such as anaerobic infection, Zoon's balanitis were sought separately and subgroups combined. Original articles and abstracts were referenced to illustrate each condition. These were mainly English language articles, but included appropriate non-English language papers.

CONCLUSIONS

Balanitis is a common condition among genitourinary medicine clinic attendees, the cause often remaining undiagnosed. Many cases are caused by infection, with candida being the most frequently diagnosed. However, gardnerella and anaerobic infections are common, and there are a wide variety of other rarer infective causes. In addition irritant balanitis is probably a contributing factor in many cases. Balanitis which persists and in which the cause remains unclear warrants biopsy.

Flat condylomata of the penis presenting as patchy balanoposthitis

Fifty patients presenting with either primary or recurrent patchy balanoposthitis which became aceto-white after the application of 5% acetic acid underwent biopsy. Microbiological screening, including Grocott staining of the biopsy material for fungal hyphae was performed. Forty nine biopsies showed marked koilocytosis suggestive of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, and of these, only three showed fungal hyphae. This study suggests that HPV may be associated with some cases of patchy balanoposthitis.

Ulcerative balanoposthitis associated with non-syphilitic spirochaetal infection

Ulcerative balanoposthitis associated with non-syphilitic spirochaetal infection was found in 41 (12%) of 344 consecutive men with genital ulcer disease in two clinics in South Africa. All patients with non-syphilitic spirochaetal infection were uncircumcised. Non-syphilitic treponemes were seen in only two of 60 uncircumcised men who had urethritis without genital ulceration. In 14 patients with ulcerative balanoposthitis no cause of genital ulceration could be identified. Most patients presented with large, serpiginous, superficial, foul smelling, and tender ulcers, the base of which was purulent with undermined edges. Non-tender inguinal lymphadenopathy was present in seven of 14 patients. One female sexual partner of a patient with non-syphilitic spirochaetal infection had a vaginal infection with non-syphilitic spirochaetes.

Anaerobic balanoposthitis

To assess the causative role of non-sporing anaerobes in cass of erosive balanoposthitis, anaerobic culture was performed on purulent discharges from 104 patients with penile ulceration, a foul-smelling discharge, and a mixed and motile bacterial flora. Most of 29 culturally confirmed infections were due to mixed anaerobes and eight to single anaerobes. A rapid response to treatment with metronidazole also confirmed the anaerobic cause of the infection. Thus, acute anaerobic balanoposthitis can be readily diagnosed clinically and is easily treated.