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Sexually transmitted infections

Chancroid Diagnosis

Diagnosis

Physical examination findings have a low sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing primary syphilis, chancroid, and genital herpes. Gram stained ulcer material is of little diagnostic value because of the poor sensitivity and specificity of this test.

H ducreyi requires special media for culture and is a difficult organism to culture. Even if culture facilities are available, it often takes several days for results to become available. Stuart, Amies and thioglycolate hemin based transport media are effective when specimens are held at 4 degrees for 1 to 4 days. H ducreyi grow best at 33 C in a humid atmosphere containing 5% carbon dioxide.

Several DNA amplification based techniques have been developed to detect the three most common etiological agents of genital ulcer disease, Herpes simplex virus, Treponema pallidum, and H ducreyi. They are not generally available.