Chancroid and Haemophilus ducreyi

Abstract

Haemophilus ducreyi is the causative agent of chancroid, one of the genital ulcerative diseases. H. ducreyi is the major cause of genital ulcer disease in Africa and Southeast Asia and is of increasing concern in the United States. Definitive diagnosis of chancroid requires the isolation and identification of H. ducreyi, but isolation of this organism is difficult and the available medium is not optimal for all strains. Fluorescent antibody and serologic tests are of limited value. In general, our knowledge of this organism is rather limited, and indeed, recent studies have questioned the placement of H. ducreyi in the genus Haemophilus. H. ducreyi has relatively few biochemical activities, and epidemiologic studies are limited because there are limited phenotypic markers available for strain typing. Specific virulence factors of H. ducreyi have yet to be identified. Antimicrobial resistance in H. ducreyi is of special concern, as this organism has acquired both gram-negative and gram-positive resistance determinants. In addition, some of these determinants can be mobilized and transferred to other Haemophilus species or to Neisseria gonorrhoeae.