Understanding Chancroid
Chancroid is a very contagious but treatable sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by bacteria called Haemophilus ducreyi.
It causes bumps that may feel tender when you touch them. The bumps fill with pus and may open up and become sores. These sores, called ulcers, are most often on the genitals.
Another common symptom of chancroid is swelling of the lymph nodes, or small glands, in your groin. When your lymph nodes are swollen, it is a sign that your body is fighting off bacteria or infection.
Chancroid is mostly found in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, where it causes sporadic outbreaks. It’s very rare in the U.S. Over the last 15 years, health care providers in the U.S have reported only about 100 cases.
Chancroid vs. herpes
While both chancroid and herpes are sexually transmitted infections, they differ in several ways. While both cause sores, chancroid ulcers tend to be painful, produce lots of pus, and bleed easily. Herpes sores are smaller and appear in clusters. They have little discharge.
The conditions differ in other ways, too.
- Chancroid is caused by the bacterium Haemophilus ducreyi, but herpes is caused by a virus, usually HSV-1 or HSV-2.
- Chancroid is generally treated with antibiotics such as azithromycin or ceftriaxone. Herpes is treated with antiviral drugs such as acyclovir, famciclovir, or valacyclovir.
- Herpes can come back, but the chance of chancroid returning is rare.
- While chancroid is rarely seen in the U.S., herpes is very common.
“Herpes is the most common, and chancroid is the rarest in the United States,” says Edward Hook, MD, emeritus professor at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and former advisor to the American Sexual Health Association.
About 1 in every 9 people between the ages of 14 and 49 in the U.S. is infected with genital herpes, though most aren’t aware they have it, according to the CDC.
Chancroid transmission
Chancroid is passed from person to person in two ways. The first is by sexual contact with someone who has open sores. The second is through other physical contact with a sore. If you have chancroid sores and touch one of them, then touch another person, you could pass the infection to them.
Who can get chancroid?
Anyone can get chancroid if they come into contact with the bacteria causing it. But those with male anatomy are more likely to be diagnosed with the condition.
Those with female sexual organs may have sores only inside the vagina, where they’re not visible. The only other symptom may be swollen lymph nodes.
Chancroid Symptoms
Symptoms of chancroid usually develop within 4-10 days after you’re exposed to the bacteria.
Chancroid sores
The most common symptom of chancroid is sores. Sores from chancroid may go away quickly, but they can also last weeks or months.
They start as raised bumps that feel tender, then later become open sores filled with pus. The pustules can be itchy and painful. These sores feel soft instead of rubbery or hard.
The sores usually form on the genitals. But you could also get them in other places, such as your mouth or anus. They’re often painful when they affect the penis, but you may not feel them if they only develop inside the vagina. It might hurt to pee or have sex.
The sores may bleed and leak pus.
Swollen lymph nodes
In some cases, chancroid also causes swollen lymph nodes around the groin. These are sometimes painful, but you might not notice them.
How Is Chancroid Diagnosed?
The symptoms of chancroid can be similar to those of some other STDs. To diagnose chancroid, your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and physically examine you. To rule out other infections, they’ll take a swab of your ulcer and send it to a lab to check for the presence of Haemophilus ducreyi bacteria.
Chancroid Treatment
Your doctor will treat chancroid with antibiotics. With proper care and treatment, you can expect your sores to heal within two weeks. If your sores are deeper, healing may take two to three weeks. If you have especially swollen lymph nodes, they may have to be aspirated or drained, which can extend healing time by a few weeks.
While you’re recovering, follow these guidelines to make sure that you heal properly:
- Don’t have sex until your sores are completely healed.
- Keep the area around your sores clean and dry.
- Don’t wear tight-fitting clothes that may irritate your sores.
Chance of reinfection
Chancroid is unlikely to come back if it’s properly treated. But you can catch it again.
Having chancroid once doesn’t make you immune to the bacteria. You can be reinfected if you're reexposed through sexual contact with an infected partner.
Preventing Chancroid
The only sure way to avoid getting chancroid is to avoid having sex. If you’re sexually active, you can take these steps to reduce your chances of getting chancroid:
- Get tested regularly.
- Limit your number of sexual partners.
- Don’t have sexual contact with anyone who has open sores on their genitals or groin.
- Always use a condom during sex to reduce your chance of getting chancroid as well as other STDs.
- Be extra cautious if you have sex with sex workers from regions where chancroid is widespread.
If you think you may have chancroid, don’t have sexual contact with anyone until you talk to a doctor. Go to urgent care, an STD clinic, or your doctor’s office.
If you have chancroid, tell all of your sexual partners so that they can also seek treatment. Don’t have sexual contact with anyone until you’ve finished your medication and all your sores have completely healed. Your doctor may schedule a follow-up appointment to make sure that you don’t need further treatment.
Chancroid Risks
If chancroid isn’t treated effectively, you could end up with complications like swollen lymph nodes, tissue damage, and sometimes fertility problems. It can also raise your risk of other infections, including HIV.
Ineffective treatment
You may not respond to the usual chancroid treatment if you’re uncircumcised or living with HIV. If you’re in one of these higher-risk categories, talk to your doctor about other steps you can take to help your ulcers heal.
Other health conditions
The open sores that chancroid causes make you more susceptible to other bacteria. The greatest risk of chancroid is that you’re more likely to contract HIV while you are infected with chancroid.
Chancroid FAQs
Is there a difference between syphilis and chancroid?
Syphilis and chancroid are both sexually transmitted bacterial infections. But they differ in many other ways.
Syphilis is caused by a different bacterium called Treponema pallidum. It usually begins with a single, painless sore, and then progresses. While both cause genital sores, syphilis is generally painless, while chancroid can be very painful.
Syphilis is treated with penicillin, while chancroid is treated with other antibiotics such as azithromycin or ceftriaxone. If left untreated, syphilis can cause long-term damage, including complications of the heart and brain.
Will chancroid clear up on its own?
Chancroid sores can heal on their own within a couple of months. But you’re more likely to get complications, such as scarring from the sores, if you don’t treat it.
Who is at risk for chancroid?
Anyone can get chancroid. But it’s most common in Africa, the Caribbean, and Southwest Asia. Sex workers from those regions and those who have sex with them are at higher risk. You’re also at higher risk if you’re uncircumcised.
