Background

This bacterial infection is a sexually transmitted disease. It affects the genital and perineal area, characteristically presenting with nonindurated, painful ulcers, single or multiple. These ulcers may be poorly circumscribed, covered with gray-yellow necrotic material, and surrounded by an erythematous ring. There are often associated tender inguinal lymph nodes which may become suppurative and progress to bubos.

SYNONYMS

Soft chancre

 

PATHOGENESI	CHARACTERIZATION
Haemophilus ducreyi	Gram negative bacillus

 

HISTOLOGICAL TYPES	CHARACTERIZATION
General	Large ulceration with prominent pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia Characteristically, three zones may be found within the ulcer Organisms are characteristically at the base of the ulcer
Superficial	Necrotic material, fibrin, erythrocytes, and neutrophils
Intermediate	Prominent vascular proliferation with mixed inflammatory cells infiltrates with neutrophils, lymphocytes, histiocytes, and plasma cells
Deep	Plasma cells and lymphocytes
VARIANTS

 

SPECIAL STAINS/IMMUNOPEROXIDASE/OTHER	CHARACTERIZATION
Special stains	Giemsa or silver stains are positive Single structures or structures forming short chains either freely or within macrophages

J Am Acad Dermatol 1982;6:493-499.

Infectious and Microbiology

Skin

Last Updated 1/26/2001

Send mail to The Doctor's Doctor with questions or comments about this web site.
Read the Medical Disclaimer.

Copyright © The Doctor's Doctor