With Unexplained Genital Sores, Ask About Recent Travel and Sexual History

A woman in the United Kingdom has been diagnosed with a “flesh-eating” sexually transmitted disease that is relatively rare in the UK, and even more-so in the United States—but common in many tropical areas. Donovanosis causes genital and anal ulcers and can destroy tissue. Often, patients first notice small, painless sores that expand slowly before becoming raised, red bumps that bleed easily. As it spreads, it can destroy genital tissue and cause the surrounding area to lose its natural color, according the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Ultimately, it can take on the appearance of advanced genital cancers. Symptoms can appear up to 12 weeks after exposure to the bacteria through intercourse or, more rarely, oral sex. While treatment with several weeks of antibiotics is effective, early diagnosis reduces the risk for complications like genital damage and scarring. Donovanosis is most likely to be found in India, Papua New Guinea, central Australia, southern Africa, and the Caribbean—though, as evidenced by the case in the UK, it can also turn up in patients who’ve had intimate encounters in those areas.