There has never been a better reason to wear a condom
A sexually transmitted flesh-eating disease that causes ‘beefy red’ sores and ulcers is spreading across the UK with a vengeance.
The STD, named donovanosis, which causes thick sores that cause severe genital tissue, has been steadily gaining prominence since 2016, reports Birmingham Live.
“Figures suggest that donovanosis — which was previously thought to be restricted to places including India, Brazil and New Guinea — is becoming more common on these shores,” Dr Datta, of MyHealthCare Clinic in London, told the
Birmingham Live.
Though the disease is often dubbed as ‘flesh eating’, the bacteria do not actually eat away at flesh. Instead, it is referred to as such for its rather gory effect on infected areas.
Health bodies reported thirty cases of donovanosis in 2019, but an increase could pose a serious public health risk, Datta warned.
Typically speaking, the STD is passed on through unprotected sex. However, it can spread through skin on skin contact and between newborn babies and their moms in some rare cases.
Symptoms include “bulging red bumps,” “damaged skin” and “loss of genital tissue color,” claims Healthline. Ulcers can become infected that can cause a foul smell.
The first sign of the disease is a nodule, sore, or lesion in the genital area. If tested, healthcare officials will likely take skin scrapings and a blood test for further analysis.
The STD is more common, though still rare, in warmer climates like India, Papua New Guinea, central Australia, the Caribbean, and Southern Africa.
The disease is treated similarly to other STD’s, that being with a long term treatment of antibiotics.
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