Sexual contact with people living in tropical and subtropical climates increases the likelihood of exposure. No serological tests such as that used to detect syphilis are available for diagnosing granuloma inguinale. Most treatment courses run 3 weeks. A follow-up examination is essential because the disease can reappear after an apparently successful cure. If the disease is treated early, no resultant tissue destruction or scarring should occur.
Untreated disease can lead to complications.
Granuloma inguinale lesion on the penis. In women, this lesion may go unnoticed. Infection spreads to the skin and lymph nodes of the groin where it produces large granulomatous lesions. If left untreated, the nodes may ulcerate through the skin and drain. This disease can cause severe destruction of the genitalia and scarring.