What tests should be done for chancroid?

Patients with chancroid should of course pay attention to active examinations, because only by timely examination and understanding of these symptoms can you find out whether you are affected by this disease. The examination of chancroid includes microscopic examination, culture method, and pathological examination.

1. Clinical manifestations

1. The incubation period is 3 to 14 days, with an average of 4 to 7 days. The most common sites for males are the coronal sulcus, foreskin, frenulum, glans penis, body of penis, perineum and perianal area, and for females are the labia minora, labia majora, frenulum of labia, vestibule, clitoris, cervix, perineum and perianal area. There are also reports of ulcers on the breasts, inner thighs, fingers and oral cavity.

2. After contact with the pathogen, a small inflammatory papule or abscess appears at the infected site, which quickly turns into an abscess. After 3 to 5 days, the damage continues to invade the affected area to form a deep ulcer with severe pain. The ulcer is round or oval in shape, soft in texture, easy to bleed, with rough and irregular edges. The surface is covered with a foul-smelling yellow-gray exudate.

3. Most patients will develop inguinal purulent lymphadenitis after the onset of ulcers, which is painful, and may further develop pus and redness of the surface skin. The enlarged lymph nodes often have a sense of fluctuation, and may naturally rupture and purulent, forming ulcers and sinuses. Complications include balanitis, incarcerated prepuce, urethral fistula, urethral stenosis, penile stem lymphangitis, scrotal or labial elephantiasis, and other secondary infections of ulcers.

2. Inspection

1. Microscopic examination

Direct smear examination revealed Gram-negative Haemophilus ducreyi. This method has poor sensitivity.

2. Cultivation method

Haemophilus ducreyi culture positive.

3. Pathological examination

There are histopathological manifestations consistent with chancroid ulcers. Haemophilus ducreyi can sometimes be found in tissue sections.

4. Nucleic acid testing

The nucleic acid of Haemophilus ducreyi was tested by polymerase chain reaction method.