Since the end of confinement, English doctors have been concerned about a resurgence of a bacterial disease called donavosis, responsible for necrosis of the tissues of the genital organs and neighboring regions.
- In the United Kingdom, doctors are warning about the increasing number of cases of donovanosis, a sexually transmitted infection that necroses the flesh of the genitals.
- Potentially fatal, this infection can be treated with antibiotics. Wearing a condom is an effective way to prevent it.
Gonorrhea and chlamydia aren’t the only sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that are increasingly prevalent among young people. In the UK, a new bacterial disease is worrying doctors. Called inguinal granuloma or donovanosis, it is caused by the bacteria Klebsiella granulomatis and is characterized by the appearance of small red and painful nodules within 10 to 40 days of infection. According to the MSD Manual, these nodules then enlarge to form a round, raised mass (granuloma). Then these nodules burst and turn into open, oozing, foul-smelling sores of tissue near the penis, scrotum, or groin in men, and the vulva or vagina in women. The buttocks and face can also be affected. Hence the nickname given to donovanosis, the infection “flesh eater”.
A life-threatening infection
Until recently, donovanosis was confined to only a few regions of the world, such as Brazil, India or New Guinea. But, since the end of confinement, the number of cases has exploded across the Channel, reports the daily The Sun. From 19 cases officially recorded in 2016, the number rose to 30 in 2019, before experiencing a decline in 2020, due to health restrictions. But the disease has started again since the beginning of the year. “These figures suggest that donovanosis is becoming more common in the UK”worries Dr. Shree Datta, obstetrician and gynecologist, interviewed by The Sun.
Donovanosis is all the more dangerous as the lesions can worsen and cause the death of the carrier. However, the disease can be cured with antibiotic treatment. And wearing a condom remains to this day the best way to protect yourself against this bacterium. “flesh eater”.
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