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Male and female reproductive systems
Male and female reproductive systems


Chancroid

Definition:

Chancroid is a bacterial disease known to be spread solely through sexual contact.



Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Chancroid is a sexually-transmitted infection caused by the Gram negative bacterium Haemophilusducreyi. The main symptom is genital sores that rupture after a few days.

The disease is found primarily in developing and third world countries. Only a few hundred cases a year are diagnosed in the United States. The majority of individuals in the U.S. diagnosed with chancroid have traveled outside the country to areas where the disease is known to occur frequently.

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



References:

Annan NT, Lewis DA. Treatment of chancroid in resource-poor countries. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2005 Apr;3(2):295-306.

Lewis DA. Chancroid: clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management. Sex Transm Infect. 2003 Feb;79(1):68-71.




Review Date: 6/20/2005
Reviewed By: Rocio Hurtado, M.D., Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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