Genital Autoinoculation with Vaccinia: A Look at Two Cases

Smallpox, or vaccinia, has been eradicated worldwide as a disease; however, it may be weaponized and is thus a required immunization when military members deploy to certain parts of the world.

We report two unusual cases of genital autoinoculation following smallpox vaccination.

Both patients' lesions resolved without sequelae within 20 d.

We advocate for thorough education on this potential vaccination adverse event. These cases highlight the importance of a broad differential diagnosis when dealing with vulvar lesions, particularly in our military population.