Granuloma inguinale

Alternative names:

donovanosis

Treatment:

A complete cure of granuloma inguinale requires fairly long treatment. Most treatment courses run 3 weeks. The antibiotics used include:

• Tetracycline or Doxycycline
• Sulfisoxazole
• chloramphenicol
• gentamicin
• streptomycin
• co-trimoxazole

A follow-up examination is essential because the disease can reappear after an apparently successful cure.

Expectations (prognosis):

If the disease is treated early, no resultant tissue destruction or scarring should occur. Untreated disease can lead to complications. In addition, if the disease becomes disseminated (widely distributed throughout the body), death may result from secondary problems such as heart failure, pneumonia, or hemorrhage.

Complications:

• genital destruction and scarring
• genital depigmentation (loss of skin color)
• permanent genital swelling (edema) from lymphatic scarring

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have had sexual exposure to a person who is known to have granuloma inguinale; or if you develop symptoms similar to those listed above.