Donovanosis

Donovanosis is an uncommon sexually transmitted bacterial infection. It can be prevented by having safer sex.

Last updated: 19 June 2008

What is Donovanosis?

Donovanosis is caused by a bacterium called Klebsiella granulomatis. It can be cured by antibiotics. It is usually found in people who have poor nutrition and live in poor or underdeveloped communities.

What are the symptoms?

People with donovanosis usually notice one or more fairly painless ulcers or nodules on the genitals, or around the anus or mouth. Without treatment these will increase in size. Other bacteria can infect these sores, causing them to become painful and distressing with an unpleasant smell.

How is it spread?

Donovanosis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). A very small proportion of people may be infected through direct, nonsexual contact. There have been reports of the infection being spread from mother to child during delivery, but this is very rare.

Symptoms generally appear from 3 to 40 days after infection. Occasionally symptoms may take as long as a year to develop.
Donovanosis is contagious even when there are no noticeable symptoms.

Who is at risk?

In Australia, the people who are most at risk of catching donovanosis are:
• Aboriginal people living in remote or marginalised communities
• People who have sex with someone from a country with high rates of donovanosis.

How is it prevented?

Using condoms for vaginal and anal sex significantly reduces the risk of donovanosis and other sexually transmitted infections.
Avoid sharing sex toys and consider using condoms with sex toys for further protection.
Have regular sexual health checks to identify infections early to prevent passing the infection on to others and before complications develop.
If you are planning to visit or live in a developing country, find out about diseases that occur there and how they are best avoided.

How is it diagnosed?

Your doctor, nurse or health worker will take specimens from the ulcer, do a blood test for donovanosis and check you for other sexually transmitted infections to make sure the diagnosis is correct. This is because there are a number of causes of genital ulcers.

How is it treated?

It is easy to treat donovanosis with antibiotics: the ulcers start healing within days. Pain killers may be taken if the ulcers are painful. It is important to complete the course of antibiotics or the infection may reoccur.

If the sores are not treated, the genitals can become scarred. Cancer of the genitals may be linked with donovanosis. People with genital ulcers have a higher risk of being infected with HIV.

What is the public health response?

If you have been diagnosed with donovanosis, it is important to tell anyone you had sex with in the 40 days before you noticed symptoms so they can be tested and treated. Your doctor or sexual health clinic can help you decide who may be at risk and help you to contact them. If you wish, this can be done anonymously by your doctor.

Donovanosis is a notifiable disease. This means that doctors and laboratory staff are legally required to notify the Department Health about new cases. Notifications are confidential and used to help find and treat others who may be at risk before they become ill or infect others. The data is also used for public health planning.

Avoid sex until both you and your partner(s) have treated.

Further Information

Sexual Health Information Line (02) 9382 7440 or Freecall 1800 451 624 (outside Sydney).

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