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Doctors at the American University of Beirut have reported a surprising medical case. Food poisoning affecting… a man’s penis after sexual intercourse. An unprecedented set of circumstances is believed to be behind this medical surprise.
Food poisoning is always a nasty surprise. But when it affects an unexpected area, like the penis, it also becomes curious. But that’s what happened to a 38-year-old man, a case published in the journal Annals of Medicine and Surgery.
Bacillus cereus bacteria found in penis
According to the Daily mailwhich reports this case, the man is said to have consulted urologists after suffering from redness, swelling and crusting on his penis, which persisted for almost a week. An STI? Not at all. Further investigations revealed that the worrying symptoms had started shortly after he suffered from severe diarrhea and vomiting. Doctors then took a sample from the man’s penis to test for possible infection.
They found evidence of the bacteria Bacillus cereuswhich is usually found in rice left at room temperature for too long. This bacteria usually causes nausea and stomach upset.
A lively evening led to the infection
Let’s end the suspense, but no one has consumed rice (or other culinary preparations) on the patient’s genitals. According to the medical report, the cause is much less “sympathetic”. The man’s unusual genital infection was caused by an episode of diarrhea and vomiting that occurred almost immediately after a “vigorous sexual intercourse” with his wife.
In other words, the patient had eaten a meal containing rice with his family just a day before his symptoms appeared, the bacteria would have been in direct contact with the patient’s groin, and the intimate act may have increased the risk of bacteria penetrating the skin. An evening he will probably remember for a long time.
A first case in the literature
The doctors were surprised to discover the first case of foodborne infection in a penis in the scientific literature. Penile infections usually occur after an injury that creates an open wound and usually involve the bacterial group streptococcus. They note that it is “unusual” to see Bacillus cereus on the skin, much less on the genitals. And yet.
The father of two was treated with a topical antibiotic called fucidic acid, which is commonly used to treat eye infections. The patient was also advised to wash the area “properly” and avoid sexual intercourse and masturbation until it cleared up. A month after the infection, the patient said he had not felt any burning or discomfort in the genital area and that the infection had not returned. Not sure if he would eat rice again, though.
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