Donovanosis (Granuloma Inguinale) Virendra N Sehgal, Arakali L Shyam Prasad
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Introductionchapter 1

Donovanosis, is a fascinating, one of the chronic genito ulcerative diseases (GUDs) affecting primarily the genitalia. Its clinical, bacteriological, and histopathological features are characteristic enough to pinpoint the diagnosis. Even then this disease is largely missed or overlooked because it is neither suspected nor entertained in the differential diagnosis of ulcerative lesions on the genitalia.1 Furthermore, the utilization of syndromic diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in various parts of the world, and previous use of antibiotics make it difficult to find Donovan bodies in the cytodiagnostic and hystopathological examination, requiring the utilization of technology that is neither routine nor often accessible to confirm the hypothesized diagnosis. Therefore, it is necessary to bring medical professionals up to date about this infectious disease.2 It appears to be a universal impression because very little information on the disease is available from different parts of the globe. Its exclusive reporting from tropics and subtropics too seems misleading and evasive. Should the diagnosis of the disease be considered in all earnest in the differential diagnosis of genital ulcerations, more and more cases of the disease may be identified and superfluous connotation can be highlighted. An endeavor has, therefore, been made in the present text to consolidate its current status along with those of the previous works in a solemn bid to focus attention on this relatively neglected disease. Accordingly, the text has been profusely illustrated with black and white and colored photographs. The significance of the condition has relevantly been magnified, because this is one of the major genito ulcerative diseases (GUDs) responsible for propagating and perpetuating Human immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is hoped that the present treatise achieves its objective, and serves as “ready reckoner” for practicing venereologists, general practitioners 2and above all under- and postgraduate students across the globe.
 
Definition
Donovanosis, one of the pre-eminent genital ulcerative diseases, is chronic mildly contagious, sexually transmitted disease, characterized by exquisite granulomatous ulceration of the genitalia and neighboring sites, Calymmatobacterium granulomatis being its causative organism.3
 
Nomenclature
The initial precise clinical description of the disease was outlined by Mcleod,4 when he named it as serpiginous ulceration of the groin. Ever since, its initial descriptions, the disease has been recognized by names, pointing accurately to its morphological features. An accurate clinical description of the disease was given by Conyers and Daniels5 while working in British Guiana. They used the term “lupoid form” of the so-called ‘groin ulceration’. While Galloway6 used the term ‘ulcerating granuloma of the pudenda’ in a single case report from London. Maitland7 described the condition under the title of ‘chronic venereal sores’. The condition was named ‘granuloma inguinale tropicum’ by Crocker8 in his textbook. However, Brooke9 coined it as ‘granuloma venereum’, a term which is still in vogue in some places. Donovanosis/Granuloma Inguinale (GI) is the current nomenclature used in practice and research across the globe. The same is adopted for the present text for all intends and purposes.
 
References
  1. Mein JK, Anstey NM, Bowden FJ. Missing the diagnosis of donovanosis in Northern Australia. Med J Aust. 1999;170:48.
  1. Velho PE, Souza EM, Belda Junior W. Donovanosis. Braz J Infect Dis. 2008;12:521–525.
  1. Rajam RV, Rangiah PN. Donovanosis. World Health Organisation Monograph 1954;24.
  1. McLeod K. Precis of operations performed in the wards of the first surgeon, Medical College Hospital during the year 1881, lnd Med Gaz. 1882;17:113–123.
  1. Conyers JH, Daniels CW. The lupoid form of the so-called “groin ulceration” of this colony. Br Guin Med Ann. 1896;8:13–20.
  1. Galloway J. Ulcerating granuloma of the pudenda. Br J Dermatol. 1897;8:13–20.
  1. Maitland J. Chronic veneral sores. lnd Med Gaz. 1898;23:164–166.
  1. Crocker HR; Diseases of the skin. P Blackiston and Co.  Philadelphia. 1903.
  1. Brooke GE. Tropical medicine, hygiene and parasitology. Charles Griffin & Co. Ltd,  London, 1900.