Dynamite James
The Main attraction
Case of rare STI Donovanosis which causes genitals to erupt in flesh eating ulcers found in north of EnglandCONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGE: The sexually transmitted disease has never been seen in the UK before
- SHARE
- COMMENTS
By
Kate McMullin
Dave Himelfield
- 14:01, 22 AUG 2018
A case of a sexually transmitted disease which causes the genitals to erupt in flesh-eating ulcers has been diagnosed in the north of England.
The first known British case of Donovanosis has been detected in Southport, Lancashire, according to the Liverpool Echo. The sexually transmitted infection (STI) is usually found in tropical countries.
Those who catch the STI will come out in genital ulcers, which will spread and cause tissue in the groin area to eat itself.
The disease was diagnosed in a woman, aged between 15 and 25, in the last 12 months, according to information obtained under Freedom of Information by online pharmacy chemist-4-u.com.
While the disease can be caught through sexual intercourse it can be also be caught by simple contact with a patient's bleeding ulcer.
Symptoms of the disease, which is twice as likely to affect men than women, can show one to 12 weeks after coming into contact with the bacteria.
Without treatment, the ulcers increase in size and other bacteria can also attack the ulcers which then generate a foul smell.
Half of infected men and women have sores in the anal area, which appear as small, red, beefy lumps.
The bumps gradually erode but as the disease spreads it starts to destroy tissues in the infected area.
Donovanosis is a flesh-eating STI normally found in tropical countries (Image: Liverpool Echo)
There are also possible complications involved in contracting the disease, which can include permanent genital damage and scarring, loss of skin colour and irreversible genital swelling due to the scarring.
The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) said it has not found any previous cases in the UK.
Pharmacist Shamir Patel, of Chemist 4 U, said: “This is a very rare and nasty condition and it could be one of the first times it has been recorded in the UK.
“Although antibiotics can treat donovanosis, early-stage cases might be going undiagnosed because it's so uncommon in the UK.
Vaping can cause serious damage to your lungs, scientists now warn
“Bacteria that cause the disease, known as klebsiella granulomatis, infect the skin around the genitals, groin or anal area and causes lesions and skin disintegration as the flesh effectively consumes itself.
“Donovanosis itself can be treated with antibiotics, time is of the essence.
“Any delay could cause the flesh around the genitals to literally rot away.
“This bacteria is also a risk factor in the transmission of HIV.”
The disease is usually found in tropical and subtropical countries such as southeast India, Guyana and New Guinea, and due to its rarity in Britain it doesn't appear on most STI lists, compiled by UK sexual health websites.
Flesh-eating STI which causes genitals to 'rot away' found in UK for first time
How long until it get's to the states?
Last edited:
