Granuloma inguinale in Northern Queensland

Thirteen cases of granuloma inguinale were diagnosed in just over a twelve-month period at the Australian Government Health Laboratory and the General Hospital, Townsville. Seven patients were males, four of whom were immates of Her Majesty's Prison, Townsville. Two of the patients were married, and two were sisters. All the female patients were pregnant at the time of diagnosis. The provisional diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of intracytoplasmic Donovan bodies in crushed tissue smears stained with Wright's stain and pinacyanole. The diagnosis of granuloma inguinale could not be reliably made from sections of formalin-fixed tissue alone. The clinical findings, methods of laboratory diagnosis, management and treatment of this disease are also described with an added emphasis on treatment during pregnancy.

Granuloma inguinale: a case report

A 20-year-old woman developed bleeding because of a painless genital ulcer. The diagnosis of granuloma inguinale was proven by showing the presence of Donovan bodies in a biopsy of the lesion. Treatment with tetracycline was successful when given in adequate dosage. Granuloma inguinale, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with asymptomatic genital ulcers. Multiple biopsies may have to be done and stained with fresh Giemsa to prove the diagnosis, as in this case.

Granuloma inguinale simulating advanced pelvic cancer

This paper describes a case of multiple disease in an Aboriginal woman. Granuloma inguinale, of unusual severity and extent, which closely simulated advanced pelvic malignant disease, was included. Some problems of the diagnosis are discussed.

Multilating granuloma inguinale

Granuloma inguinale is an uncommon infectious granulomatous disease of the inguinale area that can insidiously engulf and mutilate tissue. The reported case of granuloma inguinale demonstrated the painless progression of the disease to destroy most penile, scrotal, and inguinal tissue and also showed the subsequent satisfactory therapeutic result with antibiotic treatment. Light microscopy of plastic-embedded thin-sectioned tissue specimens allowed clear demonstration of the Donovan bodies and may be valuable in diagnosis.

Granuloma inguinale in Vietnam: successful therapy with ampicillin and lincomycin

Thirty-six patients having granuloma inguinale were treated at the 483 USAF Hospital, Cam Ranh Bay, Republic of South Vietnam between October 1970 and September 1971. In 24 cases biopsy of the genital ulcerations revealed Donovan bodies pathognomonic for the disorder. The lesions generally did not heal during tetracycline therapy. All but 2 of the 31 cases treated primarily with ampicillin responded with complete healing of the local lesions which occurred primarily on the penis or in the groin. Of the remaining 2 patients, one responded to a second course of ampicillin and the other patient responded to a two week course of lincomycin after dorsal slit had been performed for partial phimosis and balanoposthitis. The 5 patients who were allergic to penicillin were treated primarily with lincomycin and all responded with complete healing. No previous reference could be found in the literature for the successful use of lincomycin in patients with granuloma inguinale. Further clinical trials with this medication are indicated.

Granuloma venereum

Granuloma venereum is endemic in Zambia but there are no previous reports of the disease from this geographical area. Six cases of granuloma venereum in African females were discovered on biopsy specimens. One unusual case with primary cervical involvement simulating carcinoma of the cervix is presented. This case illustrates the difficulties of diagnosis and the ease with which it may be mistaken for malignancy in the absence of histological confirmation.