Donovanosis: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

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Britain has seen it’s first case of a flesh-eating STD called donovansis.

According to Liverpool Echo, a Freedom of Information request submitted by an online pharmacy called chemist-4-u, discovered that a woman between the age of 15 and 25 has been diagnosed in Southport in the past 12 months.

The United States sees about 100 cases each year. Most are contracted abroad. “Even among STD experts, I would wager to say that most doctors in the United States have not seen a case of this,” said Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, chair of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. According to The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, There Are Four Types of Donovanosis

The most common type of donovanosis is called ulcerogranulomatous. If contracted, one will develop fleshy red ulcers that bleed and remain open without proper treatment.

The second type of donovanosis is called hypertrophic (or verrucous). This form of donovanosis is diagnosed when ulcers have a raised irregular edge.

The third form is the necrotic type, which causes one to produce foul-smelling ulcers that quickly lead to the deconstruction of tissue.

The last is a sclerotic infection, which is identified by scar tissue. All forms of the STD can lead to the flesh rotting beyond repair if treatment is not administered in the beginning stages.

In 90 percent of the documented cases of donovanosis, lesions only appear on the genitals, but in around 6 percent of cases, lesions are found on the lips, gums, cheeks, palate and pharynx, the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV reported.

2. According to the CDC, Donovanosis is Most Common in Tropical Countries

Until the recent diagnosis in Britain, donovanosis only surfaced in tropical areas. Previous outbreaks were reported in India, Guyana, New Guinea, Brazil, Australia and South Africa. All countries have seen the disease contained except for Austrailia and South Africa, reported The Independent

This STD can go unreported for a long time. The early stages don’t produce sores, but that doesn’t mean the bacteria isn’t present. Doctors say that in the beginning it resembles chancroid, a bacterial infection spread through sexual contact. It sometimes takes up to 12 weeks for symptoms to appear.

3. Signs and Symptoms of Donovanosis

Donovanosis can be contracted during sexual intercourse, or simply by coming into contact with someone with an open sore.

Here are the signs and symptoms of the disease:

-Small, red bumps appear on genitals and/or around the anus
-The bumps turn into raised nodules called granulation tissue
-The bumps spread and the genital tissue begins to decontruct
-Tissue damage appears in the groin area
-Skin on and around the genitals loses its color
-In the advanced stages, sores resemble genital cancers

The STD affects two times as many men as women. Half of those who are diagnosed first noticed the sores in their anal area. Without treatment, the ulcers keep growing and other bacteria leeches on.

In the final stages, when treatment is less likely to be affective, the ulcers erode and the tissue is completely destroyed in the infected areas. Even if treated, there may be permanent damage to the genitals and permanent scaring. The loss of color remains and one could experience swelling in the areas of the tissue that have been scared by the disease.

4. Donovanosis is Treated With Antibiotics

If you suspect you are experiencing symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor. He or she will inspect the sores or ulcers that have developed on your body and swab and test them.

If you test positive, antibiotics will be administered to you. Antibiotic treatment needs to remain consistent and long-term for a patient to see results and find relief.

Follow up exams are scheduled because the disease can lie dormant and spring up again after being externally treated. An infected person will see results in just a few days after beginning antibiotic treatment.

“This condition is very rare and nasty,” said chemist Shamir Patel.

“Donovanosis itself can be treated with antibiotics, but time is of the essence. Any delay could cause the flesh around the genitals to literally rot away.”

5. Chemist 4 U Polled 1,000 Adults in Britain About Their Sexual History and Experience With STDs; Nearly 70% Said They’d Never Been Tested

Chemist-4-u recently started an extensive research project called “The Great British STI Taboo.”

Team members contacted hospital trusts in Britain to find out the number of STIs that had been diagnosed and the age, sex and area of the adults who tested positive for one.

The findings have so far discovered that 420,000 cases of STDs were reported in England in 2017, 48% being Chlamydia, the most common STD of all.

The study also revealed a need for better education. 23% of those surveyed believed they could contract an STD by kissing their mate; 18% believed they could get one from a toilet seat; 12% believed a swimming pool could infect them and 9% believed sharing a drink can put them at risk.

The most shocking revelation from this study was that 72% of those who admitted to testing positive for an STD, had not told their partners.

Educate yourself. Get tested and protect yourself and your partner.