Article in Japanese

Clinical evaluation of literatures that state that genital gonorrhea infections in prepubertal girls are non-sexual infections

Fujiko Yamada^1）

Objective：In Western countries, when a case of gonococcal vulvovaginitis is found in a child, the first thing that is considered is sexual abuse, but in Japan, sexual abuse is often ruled out as a cause, as it is thought to be a non-sexual infection. In order to verify the reliability and validity of this diagnosis, the author compares and examines overseas papers and Japanese ones.
Methods：English and Japanese papers that examine the route of infection and infection mechanism in cases of gonococcal vulvovaginitis were searched using PubMed, CiNii and so on, and their credibility and validity were clinically examined.
Results：The conclusion of non-sexual transmission discussed in the Japanese paper was found to be highly questionable from a clinical perspective in terms of credibility and validity.
Conclusion：When gonococcal infections, especially gonococcal vulvovaginitis is observed in a child, sexual abuse should be the first thing to consider, as in Western countries, even though there are differences in bathing and other cultures.

---

1）Child First Japan

Key words	prepubertal girls, gonococal infection, non-sexual transmission, child sexual abuse, forensic interviewing
Received	January 7, 2025
Accepted	January 8, 2025

37 (1)：43─52,2025