Granuloma inguinale
Free risk assessment
Do I Have Granuloma Inguinale (donovanosis)?
Granuloma inguinale (also called donovanosis) is a rare bacterial infection that causes a slow-growing, painless genital ulcer. Be reassured up front: it's essentially unheard of in the United States and is a tropical disease seen almost only in people with a partner from, or sex or travel in, places like parts of India, Papua New Guinea, the Caribbean, southern Africa or South America. Far more common causes of a genital sore — herpes, syphilis, chancroid — should be tested for first. Answer a few questions to see how concerned to be and what to do next. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
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- Pathogen
- K. granulomatis
- Bacterial STI
- Curable
- Yes
- Long antibiotic course
- U.S. prevalence
- Very rare
- Mostly tropical regions
- Hallmark sign
- Painless ulcer
- Beefy-red, bleeds easily
How it works
How this assessment works
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Grounded in public-health guidance
The questions, and how heavily each answer counts, follow the risk factors and symptoms the CDC and WHO describe for Granuloma inguinale.
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A risk guide, not a diagnosis
Your answers produce a risk level, how concerned to be, and flag anything that needs urgent care. Only a lab test can confirm or rule out an infection.
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Private by design
It runs in your browser. We never ask for your name, email, or anything that identifies you.
About granuloma inguinale (donovanosis)
What is granuloma inguinale (donovanosis)?
Noticed a genital sore that's painless, raw and beefy-red, bleeds easily when touched, and has been slowly getting bigger over weeks — especially after a partner from, or sex or travel in, a tropical region? Granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) is worth considering. It's a bacterial infection caused by Klebsiella granulomatis whose hallmark is exactly that: one or more slow-growing, painless ulcers with a velvety, granular surface that bleeds on contact, usually without the swollen groin glands you'd see with other ulcer diseases.
The honest context is that this is a very uncommon diagnosis. It's essentially non-existent in the United States and most developed countries — a tropical disease endemic in parts of India, Papua New Guinea, the Caribbean, southern Africa and South America — so realistically it only comes up with a link to an endemic area. Far more common and important causes of a genital ulcer, especially herpes and syphilis (and chancroid), should be tested for first, and any genital ulcer really should be evaluated in person. The good news: it's curable with antibiotics. This check weighs your answers to show how concerned to be.
Many infections are silent. A low result here doesn't rule granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) out: if you've had a new partner or any concern, testing is the only way to be sure.
Screening guidance
Who should get tested for granuloma inguinale (donovanosis)?
Testing for granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) is guided by symptoms, a known exposure, or a partner's diagnosis rather than routine screening, you test when you have a reason to.
- 1
You have a painless ulcer that bleeds easily and is slowly growing
The classic sign is one or more painless, beefy-red, raw sores with a granular surface that bleed when touched and enlarge slowly over weeks, usually without swollen groin glands. That specific picture is the reason to consider donovanosis — but it still needs an in-person exam.
- 2
You have a partner from, or had sex or travel in, an endemic region
This is the key context. Because the infection is essentially only seen with a link to a tropical endemic area — parts of India, Papua New Guinea, the Caribbean, southern Africa or South America — that link is what makes it plausible rather than a rare curiosity.
- 3
You have any genital ulcer — get the common causes tested first
Any new genital sore should be evaluated in person. Herpes and syphilis (and chancroid) are far more common and important, so they should be tested for first; donovanosis is considered mainly when those are excluded and the travel/partner link fits.
- 4
You have an ulcer that isn't healing
A genital sore that keeps enlarging slowly instead of healing should always be looked at by a clinician — both to rule out the common causes and, if it's painless and bleeds easily with a travel link, to check for this.
Timing
When a granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) test is reliable
There's no routine swab or blood 'window' test for granuloma inguinale, so there's nothing to count down to. It's diagnosed by a clinician examining the ulcer and taking a tissue smear or biopsy that shows characteristic 'Donovan bodies' under the microscope — a specialist, in-person diagnosis. The ulcer itself usually appears roughly 1 to 12 weeks after exposure. Whatever the timing, any genital ulcer should be seen by a clinician, who will also test for the far more common causes such as herpes and syphilis.
See a clinician in person for any genital ulcer — the diagnosis needs an exam and a tissue sample, and the common, important causes (herpes, syphilis) should be ruled out at the same visit.
Your granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) testing window
After a possible exposure, a granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) test becomes reliable around 1–12 weeks (slow ulcer).
Before day 7 a test can miss it · from day 7 it's reliable · re-test after day 84 if you tested early.
Free tool · not a clinic
When can I test? Exposure-window calculator
Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Conclusive after |
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Guidance only, confirm timing with a clinician. A negative result before the conclusive date may need a repeat test.
Stats & rates
Granuloma Inguinale (Donovanosis) in the United States
Seen mostly in a few tropical and subtropical regions; uncommon in the U.S.
- Very rare
- in the United States
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 →
1 Sources
Data & references
- CDC, Granuloma Inguinale (Donovanosis), STI Treatment Guidelineshttps://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/donovanosis.htm
Good to Know
Granuloma inguinale (Donovanosis) FAQs
What people ask most before testing for granuloma inguinale (donovanosis).
How rare is granuloma inguinale in the US?
Very rare — it's essentially non-existent in the United States and most developed countries. It's a tropical infection endemic in parts of India, Papua New Guinea, the Caribbean, southern Africa and South America. For most people in the US the realistic risk only exists with a sexual partner from an endemic area, or sex or travel there. If you have a genital ulcer and no such link, other causes are far more likely.
How is it different from other genital ulcers?
Its classic ulcer is painless, beefy-red and raw with a granular, velvety surface that bleeds easily when touched, and it enlarges slowly over weeks — usually with no swollen glands. That combination is the tell. A painful ulcer points away from it (toward herpes or chancroid), and tender, swollen lymph nodes in the groin point toward chancroid or LGV instead. Because these look-alikes are far more common, any genital ulcer should be evaluated in person and the common causes tested for first.
What causes it and how is it spread?
It's caused by the bacterium Klebsiella granulomatis and spreads through sexual contact, and sometimes repeated close contact, with an infected person. The ulcer develops slowly — roughly 1 to 12 weeks after exposure — rather than appearing suddenly.
How is granuloma inguinale diagnosed?
There's no routine swab or blood test for it. Diagnosis is clinical — a doctor examines the ulcer — plus a tissue smear or biopsy of the sore that shows characteristic 'Donovan bodies' under the microscope. That makes it a specialist or histology diagnosis, so you need to be seen in person by a clinician who can take a sample.
Is it curable?
Yes. It's cured with a course of antibiotics, continued until the lesions have fully healed. Left untreated the ulcers keep enlarging slowly and can scar, so getting any persistent genital ulcer looked at promptly matters.
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