Treatment involves the use of antibiotics to clear the infection and prevent tertiary sequelae.
Chlamydia trachomatis, an obligate intracellular organism, is the causative agent, and serotypes L1, L2, and L3 have been associated with infection. While other serotypes of C trachomatis are limited to superficial infection of mucous membranes, serotypes L1, L2, and L3 are more invasive and virulent, tending to result in systemic disease. The organism travels through the lymphatics to multiply within macrophages in regional lymph nodes. Characterization of the rate of transmission or the reservoir of C trachomatis has not been clearly defined, although asymptomatic women are believed to be a source of infection. The onset of the second stage occurs 2-6 weeks later and often manifests as unilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy.