A Study of Donovanosis At Guntur

Abstract

A five year study of Donovanosis from 1-1-1%2 to 31-12-1966 at the Govt. General Hospital Guntur is presented. 25796 cases of venereal diseases were seen during the period out of which 867 cases were of Donovanosis giving a percentage of 3.36% which is the highest incidence so far reported in the literature. 91.48% of cases were found in the age group 16-40 years which is the period of maximum sexual activity. The youngest patient in out series was 13 years and the oldest 60 years-of age. 20.2% was found in teenagers indicating the present high incidence of venereal diseases in the teenagers. 665 cases seen were males and 202 were females giving a male preponderance in a ratio of 3.3:1. Some clinical problems and the close resemblance of Donovanosis to Epidermoid carcinoma are considered. In 63% of the cases the incubation period ranged between 1-4 weeks which can be considered the average incubation period for Donovanosis. 54.4% of males and 56.5% of females were married and the probable reasons for the greater incidence of Donovanosis in the married of both sexes are suggested. In our series 14 cases of conjugal Donovanosis were seen. Conjugal Donovanosis is not rare, but difficult to detect for lack of examination of both the sexual paterns. In our experience true spontaneous cure of Donovanosis is unknown. The shortest duration of infection was 3 days and the longest duration was 9 years. 25 cases out of 867 were extra genital forming 2.9%. Commonest sites were the anal and perianal regions and in the majority due to perverted sexual practices. Two cases in our study had both Donovanosis and cancer and it was difficult to decide which was the earlier lesion. The drug of choice in the treatment of Donovanosis is streptomycin. We had 16 cases of streptomycin resistant Donovanosis treated successfully with Broad Spectrum Antibiotics.