| Treatment:
|
| The infection is treated with appropriate antibiotics. Effective antibiotics include azithromycin, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and erythromycin. Large lymph node swellings need drainage either by needle or local surgery. |
| Expectations (prognosis):
|
| Chancroid can resolve spontaneously. However, some people may experience months of painful ulceration and draining. Antibiotic treatment usually results in rapid clearing of lesions with a minimal to small amount of scarring. |
| Complications:
|
- Urethral fistulas
- Phimosis in uncircumcised males (scars on the foreskin of the penis)
- Patients with chancroid should also be checked for syphilis, HIV, and genital herpes
- Patients with HIV may take much longer to heal
|
| Calling your health care provider:
|
| Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have symptoms suggestive of chancroid. Also call if you have had sexual contact with a person known to have any STD, or if you have engaged in high-risk sexual practices. |
