DISEASE NAME:
Granuloma inguinale
CATEGORY:
STIs
Granuloma inguinale
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Granuloma inguinale, also known as Donovanosis, is a sexually transmitted genital ulcerative disease caused by the bacteria Klebsiella granulomatis, and can affect both men and women. The disease is rare in Europe; the main foci in recent times appear to be in some tropical and developing countries.
The genitals are affected in 90% of cases and the groin area in 10%. The usual sites of infection are in men, the prepuce, coronal sulcus, frenum and glans penis and in women, the labia minora and fourchette.
The disease presents clinically as painless, slowly progressive ulcerative lesions on the genitals or perineum without regional lymphadenopathy; subcutaneous granulomas (pseudobuboes) also might occur. The lesions are highly vascular (i.e., beefy red appearance) and bleed.
Granuloma inguinale can be treated with antibiotics, prolonged treatment is usually required.
Last updated: 20 August 2019
Case Definitions
Clinical criteria
Any person with the following clinical picture: granuloma inguinale is a slowly progressive ulcerative disease of the skin and lymphatics of the genital and perianal area caused by the bacillus Klebsiella granulomatis. A clinically compatible case would have one or more painless or minimally painful granulomatous lesions in the anogenital area.
Laboratory criteria
Demonstration of intracytoplasmic Donovan bodies in Wright or Giemsa-stained smears or biopsies of granulation tissue
Epidemiological criteria
NA
Case classification
A. Possible case
NA
B. Probable case
Any person meeting the clinical criteria
C. Confirmed case
Any person meeting the clinical and the laboratory criteria
Current as of: 24 January 2019
Information, Data and Reports for Granuloma inguinale
Ireland’s specialist service for the surveillance of communicable diseases.