CHANCROID (SHANG-kroid)

• What is it? A bacterial infection that results in sores on the mouth, throat, lips, anus, tongue, vagina, or penis.
• How is it contracted? You can get chancroid sores or spread them through skin-to-skin contact with open sores, from hands that have touched a sore, or from sex toys such as a vibrator or dildo that have touched a sore.
• Incubation Period: 12 hours to 5 days
• Symptoms:Painful open sores on the genitals, and, in some cases, swollen and tender lymph nodes in the groin. Women may be less likely to get the sores; instead, their symptoms may include painful urination or defecation, painful intercourse, rectal bleeding, or vaginal discharge.
• Testing: Chancroid lesions can look like syphilis or genital herpes, so a doctor needs to analyze the discharge from the sores to get an accurate diagnosis.
• Treatment: Antibiotics are usually effective - Zithromax 1.0 gm (250mg x 4 tablets) or Cipro 500 mg twice a day for 3 days or Cipro XR 500 mg once a day for 3 days.
• If you are not treated: The sores that remain from an untreated chancroid infection may put you at risk for other STDs, as well as other types of infections.