Chancroid – An STI/STD More Common in People with Penises

How do you get Chancroid/How can you get Chancroid? Chancroid Causes:

Chancroid is caused by a bacteria.

Highly contagious, chancroid is transmitted in two ways. One is sexual transmission through skin-to-skin contact with open sores. Another is non-sexual transmission when pus-like fluid is moved from the ulcer to other body parts or another person.

The disease is found mainly in developing and third world countries – only a small number of cases are diagnosed in the United States each year.

Uncircumcised penises are at much higher risk than circumcised penises for getting chancroid from an infected partner. Chancroid is also a risk factor for contracting the HIV virus.

How to tell if you have Chancroid? Chancroid Symptoms:

Within 1 day – 2 weeks after getting chancroid, a person will get a small bump in the genitals. The bump becomes an ulcer within a day of its appearance. About half of infected people with penises have only a single ulcer. People with vulvas/vaginas often have four or more ulcers.

The ulcer:

• Ranges in size from 1/8 inch to 2 inches across
• Is painful
• Is soft
• Has sharply defined borders
• Has a base that is covered with a grey or yellowish-grey material
• Has a base that bleeds easily if it is banged or scraped

Common locations in people with penises are:

• Foreskin
• Groove behind the head of the penis
• Shaft of the penis
• Head of the penis
• Opening of the penis
• Scrotum

In people with vulvas/vaginas, the most common location for ulcers is the outer lips of the vagina. ‘Kissing ulcers’ may develop. These are ulcers that occur on opposite surfaces of the labia.

Other areas, such as the inner vagina lips, the area between the genitals and the anus, and the inner thighs may also be involved. The most common symptoms in people with vulvas/vaginas are pain with urination and intercourse.

—->> The ulcer may look like a chancre, the typical sore of primary syphilis.

About half of the people who are infected will develop enlarged lymph nodes located in the fold between the leg and the lower abdomen.

In half of people who have swelling of the lymph nodes, the nodes will break through the skin and cause draining abscesses.

How to know if you have Chancroid? Tests:

Chancroid is diagnosed by looking at the ulcer(s) or pus from the ulcer(s) and checking for swollen lymph nodes. There are no blood tests for chancroid!

Relief spells (Rolaids?!) Chancroid Treatment:

The infection is treated with antibiotics. Large lymph node swellings need to be drained, either with a needle or local surgery.

What’s going to happen to me?!!?! Expectations:

Chancroid can get better on its own. However, some people may have months of painful ulcers and draining. Antibiotic treatment usually clears up the lesions quickly with very little scarring.

Things to be aware of… Chancroid Complications:

Complications include urethral fistulas and scars on the foreskin of the penis in uncircumcised penises. Patients with chancroid should also be checked for other sexually transmitted infections and diseases (STIs/STDs), including syphilis, HIV, and genital herpes.

Chancroids in persons with HIV may take much longer to heal.