Chancroid is transmitted in two ways:

• Sexual transmission through skin-to-skin contact with an open sore
• Non-sexual transmission by means of autoinoculation when contact is made with the pus-like fluid from the ulcer

• Symptoms usually occur within 10 days from exposure. They rarely develop earlier than three days or later than 10 days.
• The ulcer or sore begins as a tender, elevated bump, or papule that becomes a pus-filled, open sore with eroded or ragged edges.
• It is soft to the touch (unlike a syphilis chancre that is hard or rubbery). The term soft chancre is frequently used to describe the chancroid sore.
• The ulcers can be very painful in men, but women are often unaware of them.
• Because chancroid is often asymptomatic in women, they are often unaware that they are infected.
• Painful lymph glands (or lymph nodes) may occur in the groin, usually only on one side of the body. However, they can sometimes occur on both the left and right sides.

Chancroid can be treated with antibiotics. Successful treatment does three things:

• It cures infection.
• It resolves symptoms (or causes them to disappear).
• It prevents transmission.

A follow-up examination should be conducted three to seven days after treatment begins. If treatment is successful, ulcers usually improve within three to seven days. The time required for complete healing is related to the size of the ulcer. Large ulcers may require two weeks or longer to heal. In severe cases, scarring may result.

As with other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) there are things people can do to reduce or eliminate the risk of infection with chancroid. These include the following:

• Abstinence (not having sex) is a sure way to avoid infection.
• Mutual monogamy (having sex with only one uninfected partner) is another way to avoid infection.
• Latex condoms for vaginal, oral and anal sex reduce risk. Using latex condoms may protect the penis or vagina from infection but does not protect other areas such as the scrotum or anal area.
• Water-based spermicides can be used along with latex condoms for additional protection during vaginal intercourse. Use of spermicide is not recommended nor found to be effective for oral or anal intercourse.

If a person does get chancroid, it is important for the infected person to avoid touching the infected area to prevent chance of autoinoculation .

C hancroid had been well established as a cofactor for HIV transmission. In other words, someone infected with chancroid may be more easily infected with HIV. Also, someone infected with both chancroid and HIV may transmit HIV more easily to a partner who is not infected. Moreover, persons with HIV may experience slower healing of chancroid, even with treatment, and may need to take medications for a longer period of time.

In addition there may be complications from chancroid. Complications include the following:

• In 50 % of cases, the lymph node glands in the groin become infected within five to eight days of appearance of initial sores.
• Glands on one side become enlarged, hard, painful, and fuse together to form a bubo, an inflammation and swelling of one or more lymph nodes with overlying red skin. Surgical drainage of the bubo may be necessary to relieve pain.
• Ruptured buboes are susceptible to secondary bacterial infections.
• In uncircumcised males, new scar tissue may result in phimosis (constriction so the foreskin cannot be retracted over the glans or head of the penis). Circumcision may be required to correct this.

Yes. You should talk to your partner as soon as you learn you have chancroid. Telling a partner can be hard, but it's important that you talk to your partner as soon as possible so she or he can get treatment.

Should I talk to my health care provider about it?
Yes. If you have a genital ulcer or sore or painful, swollen lymph nodes, you may need to talk to your doctor about whether or not you should be tested. However, it's important to remember that some people, usually women, are asymptomatic. If you are having unprotected sex or discover that your partner is having unprotected sex with another person, you may want to ask your doctor about being tested.

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