Bilateral bartholin’s gland abscesses in a 4-year-old girl with vitamin a deficiency: a case report

TL;DR

A 4-year-old girl with vitamin A deficiency developed rare bilateral Bartholin’s gland abscesses, highlighting the link between nutritional deficiencies and infections.

Contribution

First reported case of bilateral Bartholin’s gland abscesses potentially caused by vitamin A deficiency in a prepubertal child.

Findings

Bilateral Bartholin’s gland abscesses were diagnosed in a 4-year-old girl with vitamin A deficiency.

Vitamin A deficiency likely contributed to the abscesses due to impaired immune and mucosal barrier function.

No recurrence was observed three months after successful surgical drainage and nutritional supplementation.

Abstract

A Bartholin’s gland abscess is one of the most common infections in women of reproductive age. Although Bartholin’s gland abscesses have been reported in prepubertal children, they are rarer in prepubertal children than in adults. Herein, we report a case of bilateral Bartholin’s gland abscesses in a 4-year-old girl with vitamin A deficiency.

A 4-year-old girl diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder was admitted to the hospital for close examination and treatment because of persistent fever and malaise. The child was a marked fussy eater and was diagnosed with corneal ulceration and night blindness secondary to vitamin A deficiency. Both of the patient’s labia were swollen, and a diagnosis of a bilateral Bartholin’s gland abscess was made using computed tomography. Incisional drainage was performed under general anesthesia. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful, and she was discharged from the hospital on day 8 after the surgery. During hospitalization, attempts were made to correct the vitamin deficiency by adding nutritional supplements to the diet. Three months after the surgery, no recurrence of abscesses was noted.

Decreased immunocompetence and mucosal barrier function due to vitamin A deficiency is thought to be the underlying cause of Bartholin’s gland abscesses. Although prepubertal Bartholin’s gland abscesses have been reported, they are rare. To the best of our knowledge, no reports of bilateral Bartholin’s gland abscesses potentially caused by vitamin A deficiency have been reported. When prepubertal girls present with Bartholin’s gland abscesses, the presence of immunodeficiency due to vitamin or trace element deficiency should also be considered.

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