Chancroid is an infection caused by Haemophilus ducreyi bacteria. It is extremely contagious and transmitted via sexual contact. Fortunately, this STD has a health treatment cure.
Chancroid is more common in developing countries, notably Africa and parts of Asia. Yet, a small number of cases are found in the U.S.
Chancroid mainly causes symptoms of painful groin lymph node and a genital ulcer. The sore is similar to a syphilis caused chancre, but softer.
Chancroid genital ulcer and lymph node pain symptoms occur 3-10 after your sexual exposure. And you can spread this infectious disease while this genital chancre sore is in existence.
Men frequently experience great pain from a genital ulcer. Whereas, women are often unaware they’re even infected because the chancre pain is relatively mild. Instead, their symptoms are usually painful urination and intercourse.
The fold between your leg and abdomen is where the chancroid caused lymph node pain typically occurs. Not everyone with chancroid will experience this groin pain. And about half of those that do, their nodes break through the skin causing draining abscesses, referred to as buboes.
Treatment for a chancroid infection is antibiotics. For those with large lymph node swelling, treatment may include its drainage as well.
Post treatment healing time for a genital chancre sore largely depends on the size of your ulcer. Expect it to take a minimum of a couple of weeks.
A chancroid sore can clear up on its own. However, it may take months and chancre scarring is more likely. Antibiotic treatment is much quicker with very little scarring.
Some noteworthy aspects of chancroid include:
- those with HIV take longer to heal chancroid ulcers
- chancroid may make it more easy to be infected with HIV
- infected with chancroid & HIV may transmit HIV more easily
- uncircumcised men are at a higher risk for contracting the infection
Ultimately, your overall health benefits greatly by practicing safe sex. Also, if you are receiving treatment for chancroid, then requesting a syphilis, HIV and genital herpes test is prudent.
