STD CHANCROID : HOW COMMON IS IT?
Posted on 2009 under Men's Health-Erectile Dysfunction | No CommentHOW COMMON IS IT?
In the United States, Chancroid is not a common STD. It is more common in the tropical and subtropical developing world, such as Africa, where it is the most common cause of genital ulcer disease (in the United States the most common cause of genital ulcer disease is herpes). The late 1980s saw an increase in the incidence of Chancroid in the United States, with about 5000 people diagnosed a year. Since then there has been a slight decline in the number infected each year.
Given the low incidence of chancroid in this country, who is at risk for contracting the infection? It’s important to know, first of all, that people who continue to have sex when they have Chancroid sores—most often sex workers and those who visit them, especially in urban areas in the East and South—easily spread the disease. Having sex with someone who has sores increases your chances of contracting this infection. In addition, individuals who use crack cocaine or abuse other mind-altering substances, including alcohol, are less likely to use good judgment and more likely to have unprotected sex with high-risk partners. Men are more commonly infected than women; not being circumcised increases the risk of acquiring this infection. Finally, anyone living in the United States who travels to other areas of the world where infection is common and engage in unprotected genital or anal sex with high-risk persons is at risk.
The incidence of chancroid in this country may be higher than statistics indicate. The diagnosis may be missed because the symptoms are very similar to those caused by herpes and syphilis (which are more common STDs in the United States), and because the bacterium that causes Chancroid is hard to culture.
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