STD DONOVANOSIS: WHAT S IT?
incidence: very rare
cause: bacteria (Calymmatobacterium granulomatis)
symptoms: ulcers
treatment: antibiotics
Donovanosis, also called granuloma inguinale, is thought to be caused by the bacterium Calymmatobacterium granulomatis.
HOW COMMON IS IT?
In the United States, fewer than fifty people are infected with donovanosis each year; the infection is also uncommon in Europe and other parts of the developed world. Infection is more common in Papua, New Guinea,- Africa; India,- the Caribbean; and parts of Australia (particularly among aboriginal populations). In some areas of the world, it is the most common cause of genital ulcers (in the United States the most common cause of genital ulcers is herpes).
Studies have shown that donovanosis may significantly increase the risk of a person becoming infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) if exposed. Controlling the spread of this infection and other genital ulcer diseases may help to prevent the spread of HIV
Symptoms of donovanosis usually appear between eight and eighty days after infection. The most common symptoms are persistent ulcers where infection occurred (genitals, anal area, or mouth), which are dark red and can cover a large area. They usually start as red nodules or bumps under the skin, which then
the ulcers, which often bleed easily.
The ulcerous lesions are usually mildly tender if tender at all; they may persist and progress over many years and can become infected with skin bacteria. Permanent scarring in areas such as the urethra is common, and the drainage of lymphatic fluid may be obstructed, leading to swelling of the genital tissues, a condition called genital elephantiasis. Without treatment of the infection, the ulcers can become so extensive that they destroy parts of the genitals.
It is possible for the bacteria to spread through the blood to the liver and bones and cause infection there. Women can also have infection on the cervix, which may cause bleeding between periods or after intercourse.
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