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Bacterial STI Curable

Chancroid testing

Chancroid, caused by the bacterium Haemophilus ducreyi, produces painful genital ulcers and tender, swollen lymph nodes in the groin. It's now rare in the United States but remains a major cause of genital sores worldwide and a serious risk factor for HIV. It's curable, often with a single dose of the right antibiotic. Because a painful ulcer can also mean syphilis or herpes, testing is what points to the right treatment.

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Pathogen
H. ducreyi
Gram-negative bacterium
Curable
Yes
Single-dose options available
Hallmark
Painful ulcer
Unlike the painless syphilis chancre
U.S. status
Rare
Common in some other regions

Understanding chancroid

What is chancroid?

Chancroid is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection caused by Haemophilus ducreyi. It is one of the classic causes of painful genital ulcers, and in the United States it has become rare. When it does occur, it is most often seen as part of genital ulcer disease that also includes syphilis and herpes, which is why distinguishing chancroid from these other infections is a key part of evaluation.

The infection produces one or more deep, painful sores on the genitals, frequently accompanied by tender, swollen, pus-filled lymph nodes in the groin. The combination of a painful ulcer and inflamed groin lymph nodes is a strong clinical clue. This contrasts with syphilis, whose primary ulcer (the chancre) is typically painless.

Chancroid spreads through sexual contact. Because the ulcers it causes break the skin's protective barrier, chancroid is an important risk factor for acquiring and transmitting HIV. For this reason, anyone diagnosed with chancroid should also be evaluated for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Diagnosis can be challenging. Definitive identification of H. ducreyi requires special culture media that is not widely available, so clinicians often make a probable diagnosis based on the appearance of painful genital ulcers together with negative testing for syphilis and herpes. The clinical picture, rather than a single confirmatory lab test, frequently guides care.

Chancroid is curable. A single dose of antibiotic frequently clears the infection, and most people improve within days. People who are uncircumcised or who have HIV may respond less well to treatment and need closer follow-up. Sex partners should also be examined and treated to prevent reinfection and onward spread.

Where to get tested

Find chancroid testing near you

Choose your test and enter your city: we'll take you straight to local chancroid testing: nearby clinics and labs, prices, hours and county rates.

Test from home

At-home STD testing in the U.S.

if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to the U.S., you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.

Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.

  • In-home collection

    Quest Diagnostics

    Quest Diagnostics

    $79 & up

    Panel:
    8-infection panel incl. chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis & herpes: single tests too
    Sample:
    Quest Mobile: a phlebotomist collects your sample at home
    Results:
    1–3 days, online: physician-reviewed
    • In-home sample collection
    • Nationwide Quest lab network
    • Physician-reviewed results
    • FSA/HSA eligible
    Order online Quest Diagnostics review

  • Best value: single tests

    Everlywell

    Everlywell

    $49 & up

    Panel:
    Chlamydia & gonorrhea, up to a 6-test panel adding HIV, syphilis, trichomoniasis & hep C
    Sample:
    Finger-prick + swab
    Results:
    Days, online
    • Telehealth visit if positive
    • CLIA-certified labs
    • HSA/FSA eligible
    • Subscription savings
    Order online Everlywell review

  • Best range: couples & full panels

    myLAB Box

    myLAB Box

    $79 & up

    Panel:
    Up to 14 infections, incl. HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis & herpes
    Sample:
    Self-collect: swab, urine, finger-prick
    Results:
    2–5 days, online
    • Free phone consult if positive
    • CLIA-certified labs
    • Couples & subscription options
    • Discreet packaging
    Order online myLAB Box review

Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.

Symptoms

What are the symptoms of chancroid?

Chancroid characteristically produces noticeable, painful ulcers, but sex partners can carry and pass on the infection without symptoms, which is why partners from the prior 10 days are examined and treated even when they feel well. Symptoms usually appear 4–10 days after exposure, typically within a week, starting as a small tender bump that erodes into a painful ulcer. That's exactly why testing matters: you can have it, pass it on, and never feel a thing.

Genital ulcers

  • One or more deep ulcers on the genitals
  • Ulcers are painful
  • Sores may be tender to touch
  • Unlike the syphilis chancre, the chancroid ulcer hurts

Lymph node involvement

  • Tender, swollen lymph nodes in the groin
  • Affected nodes can become pus-filled
  • Groin swelling often accompanies the ulcers
  • The combination of painful ulcer plus tender groin nodes is a key clue

The painful nature of the ulcer is an important distinguishing feature: the syphilis chancre is typically painless, whereas the chancroid ulcer is painful.

Left untreated

Why chancroid is worth catching early

Treated early, chancroid is curable and causes no lasting harm. Left untreated, it can cause serious complications:

Increased HIV risk

Chancroid ulcers are a risk factor for both getting and passing on HIV, because the open sores break the skin barrier.

Suppurating buboes

Untreated groin lymph nodes can enlarge, fill with pus, and rupture through the skin, sometimes needing needle aspiration or incision and drainage.

How testing works

How a chancroid test works

How you test for chancroid depends on the infection. The options below cover what each test looks for, how the sample is collected, and where you can get it: at a lab, a clinic, or at home.

When to test

Seek evaluation promptly when a painful genital ulcer or tender groin lymph nodes develop.

After treatment

A definitive diagnosis requires identifying H. ducreyi on special culture media that is not widely available, so a probable diagnosis is often used.

Clinical (probable) diagnosis Most common
Sample
Physical exam of ulcers and lymph nodes
Results
Same visit

Based on painful genital ulcers with typical appearance plus negative syphilis and herpes testing.

H. ducreyi culture Definitive
Sample
Swab of ulcer
Results
Varies

Definitive diagnosis, but requires special culture media that is not widely available.

Syphilis and herpes testing
Sample
Blood and/or ulcer swab
Results
Varies

Used to rule out other causes of genital ulcers as part of a probable chancroid diagnosis.

What a chancroid test costs

Self-pay

Varies by clinic and tests performed; ask your provider or local clinic.

Free / low-cost

Many public STI clinics offer low-cost or free evaluation of genital ulcers.

With insurance

STI evaluation and treatment are commonly covered; check your plan.

Compare STD testing costs across every option.

Screening guidance

Who should get tested for chancroid?

Testing for chancroid is usually guided by symptoms, a known exposure, or a partner's diagnosis rather than routine screening: so you test when you have a reason to, not on a fixed schedule.

  1. 1

    Anyone with a painful genital ulcer

    A deep, painful genital sore, especially with tender, swollen groin lymph nodes, should be evaluated for chancroid along with syphilis and herpes.

  2. 2

    Recent sex partners of someone with chancroid

    Partners from the 10 days before a person's symptoms began should be examined and treated, even if they have no symptoms.

  3. 3

    People with possible exposure abroad

    Chancroid is rare in the U.S. but more common in some other regions, so travel or sexual contact in those areas raises the index of suspicion.

  4. 4

    People with HIV or who are uncircumcised

    These groups may respond less well to treatment and should be tested and followed closely if ulcers appear.

  5. 5

    Anyone seeking a full STI evaluation after ulcers

    Because genital ulcer disease often overlaps, a chancroid evaluation typically includes screening for HIV and other STIs.

If your result is positive

How is chancroid treated?

Chancroid is curable, and a single dose of antibiotic often cures it. Most people are re-examined a few days after starting therapy to confirm improvement.

Treat partners

Sex partners from the 10 days before symptoms began should be examined and treated, even if they have no symptoms.

Re-test after treatment

Re-examine 3–7 days after starting therapy to confirm the ulcer is improving.

Treatment & online care

Resistance note: Haemophilus ducreyi has no significant antibiotic-resistance problem in the United States, and the recommended single-dose regimens remain reliable. Apparent treatment failure is more often reinfection from an untreated partner, or the reduced response seen in uncircumcised men and people with HIV, than true resistance.

Prevention

How to prevent chancroid

  • Treat exposed partners

    Sex partners from the 10 days before symptoms started should be examined and treated, even without symptoms, to stop reinfection and spread.

  • Get evaluated promptly for ulcers

    Early evaluation of painful genital ulcers leads to faster treatment and reduces the time the ulcer can transmit infection, including HIV.

  • Test for HIV and other STIs

    Because chancroid raises HIV risk and overlaps with other ulcer-causing infections, broader STI testing is recommended.

Who is most at risk

Who is most at risk for chancroid?

Anyone who is sexually active can contract chancroid, but certain groups face significantly higher risk, and should test more frequently.

People with HIV
May respond less well to standard chancroid treatment and need closer follow-up.
Uncircumcised men
May have a poorer response to treatment than circumcised men.
Recent sex partners of infected people
Exposure within the 10 days before a partner's symptoms began carries risk even without symptoms.

Stats & rates

How common is chancroid in the U.S.?

Rare
in the United States

Where you test and what it costs vary by location, see the by-location links below for chancroid testing where you live. Source: CDC, Chancroid (STI Treatment Guidelines, 2021).

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Jump to local chancroid testing, clinics and labs, prices and county rates, in your state or a popular city, or explore another test.

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Living with chancroid

Questions to ask your provider about chancroid

Chancroid is treatable and nothing to be ashamed of. The most useful next step after a positive result (or before a first test) is a direct conversation with a clinician. Here are the questions that matter most:

  • Since this is a clinical diagnosis, how confident are we it's chancroid and not syphilis or herpes?
  • What treatment options are available to me, and how long until I'm no longer contagious?
  • Should I notify my recent partners, and can your office help me do that confidentially?
  • When should I be re-examined to confirm the ulcer is healing?
  • Are there other STIs I should test for at the same visit?
  • Can this affect my fertility, pregnancy, or long-term health if left untreated?

Good to Know

Chancroid testing FAQs

Common questions about chancroid and chancroid testing, answered.

What causes chancroid?

Chancroid is a bacterial STI caused by Haemophilus ducreyi. It is spread through sexual contact and produces painful genital ulcers.

Is chancroid curable?

Yes. Chancroid is curable, and a single dose of antibiotic, azithromycin 1 g orally or ceftriaxone 250 mg intramuscularly, often cures it.

How is chancroid different from syphilis?

The chancroid ulcer is painful, while the primary ulcer of syphilis (the chancre) is typically painless. Both cause genital ulcers, so testing is used to tell them apart.

How is chancroid diagnosed?

A probable diagnosis is made when there are painful genital ulcers with a typical appearance plus negative testing for syphilis and herpes. A definitive diagnosis requires identifying H. ducreyi on special culture media that is not widely available.

What are the symptoms of chancroid?

One or more deep, painful genital ulcers along with tender, swollen, pus-filled lymph nodes in the groin.

Does chancroid increase HIV risk?

Yes. Chancroid ulcers are a risk factor for both getting and passing on HIV because they break the skin barrier. HIV testing is recommended for anyone diagnosed with chancroid.

Should my partner be treated?

Yes. Sex partners from the 10 days before your symptoms started should be examined and treated, even if they have no symptoms.

How soon should I follow up after treatment?

You should be re-examined 3–7 days after starting therapy to confirm the ulcer is improving. People who are uncircumcised or who have HIV may respond less well and need closer follow-up.

Medically Reviewed · Updated

Reviewed by Mark Riegel, MD · Sexual Health Physician · Chief Medical Reviewer

Physician focused on sexual health, STI testing, treatment and prevention, and EasySTD's chief medical reviewer. Owns the condition guides and is the clinical backstop for any page without a more specific specialist. Our editorial guidelines →

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