Chancroid (soft sore)

Statutory notification

• Chancroid (soft sore) is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• See notifiable communicable disease case definitions (Word 1.29MB).
• Notifications should be made using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 209KB) or regional residents (PDF 208KB).
• For notification of regional residents see contact details of public health units.
• See also description of statutory medical notifications for Western Australia.

Public health summary

• Infectious agent: Haemophilus ducreyi Gram-negative coccobacillus.
• Transmission: Donovanosis is passed on by direct contact with lesions, usually during unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex with an infected person.
• Incubation period: From 3 to 5 days, up to 14 days.
• Infectious period: Until lesions are healed and organism cleared from discharging regional lymph nodes.
• Case exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: Antibiotic treatment as recommended by the Guidelines for Managing Sexually Transmitted Infections – WA Silver book – Chancroid
• Immunisation: None available.
• Case follow-up: Is the responsibility of health care providers.

Information and resources for health providers

• Guidelines for Managing Sexually Transmitted Infections – WA Silver book – Chancroid

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• General infectious disease reports