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Bacterial STI Curable

Chancroid testing

Chancroid is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection caused by <em>Haemophilus ducreyi</em> that produces painful genital ulcers and tender, swollen lymph nodes in the groin. Although it has become rare in the United States, it remains an important cause of genital sores worldwide and a serious risk factor for HIV transmission. The good news: chancroid is curable, and a single dose of the right antibiotic often clears it. If you have a painful genital ulcer, testing can distinguish chancroid from syphilis and herpes and get you the right treatment fast.

Pathogen
H. ducreyi
Gram-negative bacterium
Curable
Yes
Single-dose options available
Hallmark
Painful ulcer
Unlike the painless syphilis chancre
U.S. status
Rare
Common in some other regions

Where to get tested

Find chancroid testing near you

Choose your test and enter your city — we'll take you straight to local chancroid testing: nearby clinics and labs, prices, hours and county rates.

Test from home

At-home STD testing in the U.S.

if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to the U.S., you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room — and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.

Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits — and, in many areas, free STI kits — to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.

  • Best range — couples & full panels

    myLAB Box

    $79 & up

    Screens for:
    Up to 14 infections — incl. HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis & herpes
    Sample:
    Self-collect: swab, urine, finger-prick
    Results:
    2–5 days, online
    • Free phone consult if positive
    • CLIA-certified labs
    • Couples & subscription options
    • Discreet packaging
    Order online myLAB Box review

  • Best for simplicity & support

    LetsGetChecked

    $89 & up

    Screens for:
    5–6 common STIs incl. chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis & trichomoniasis
    Sample:
    Finger-prick + urine/swab
    Results:
    2–5 days, online
    • 24/7 nurse support
    • Prescription for positives
    • CLIA-certified labs
    • Free shipping both ways
    Order online LetsGetChecked review

  • Best value — single tests

    Everlywell

    $49 & up

    Screens for:
    Chlamydia & gonorrhea, up to a 6-test panel adding HIV, syphilis, trichomoniasis & hep C
    Sample:
    Finger-prick + swab
    Results:
    Days, online
    • Telehealth visit if positive
    • CLIA-certified labs
    • HSA/FSA eligible
    • Subscription savings
    Order online Everlywell review

Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often — confirm current details on the provider's site.

Understanding chancroid

What is chancroid?

Chancroid is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection caused by Haemophilus ducreyi. It is one of the classic causes of painful genital ulcers, and in the United States it has become rare. When it does occur, it is most often seen as part of genital ulcer disease that also includes syphilis and herpes — which is why distinguishing chancroid from these other infections is a key part of evaluation.

The infection produces one or more deep, painful sores on the genitals, frequently accompanied by tender, swollen, pus-filled lymph nodes in the groin. The combination of a painful ulcer and inflamed groin lymph nodes is a strong clinical clue. This contrasts with syphilis, whose primary ulcer (the chancre) is typically painless.

Chancroid spreads through sexual contact. Because the ulcers it causes break the skin's protective barrier, chancroid is an important risk factor for acquiring and transmitting HIV. For this reason, anyone diagnosed with chancroid should also be evaluated for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Diagnosis can be challenging. Definitive identification of H. ducreyi requires special culture media that is not widely available, so clinicians often make a probable diagnosis based on the appearance of painful genital ulcers together with negative testing for syphilis and herpes. The clinical picture, rather than a single confirmatory lab test, frequently guides care.

Chancroid is curable. A single dose of antibiotic frequently clears the infection, and most people improve within days. People who are uncircumcised or who have HIV may respond less well to treatment and need closer follow-up. Sex partners should also be examined and treated to prevent reinfection and onward spread.

Screening guidance

Who should get tested for chancroid?

Because chancroid is usually silent, the CDC and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend routine screening for the groups most likely to have it — not just people with symptoms.

  1. 1

    Anyone with a painful genital ulcer

    A deep, painful genital sore — especially with tender, swollen groin lymph nodes — should be evaluated for chancroid along with syphilis and herpes.

  2. 2

    Recent sex partners of someone with chancroid

    Partners from the 10 days before a person's symptoms began should be examined and treated, even if they have no symptoms.

  3. 3

    People with possible exposure abroad

    Chancroid is rare in the U.S. but more common in some other regions, so travel or sexual contact in those areas raises the index of suspicion.

  4. 4

    People with HIV or who are uncircumcised

    These groups may respond less well to treatment and should be tested and followed closely if ulcers appear.

  5. 5

    Anyone seeking a full STI evaluation after ulcers

    Because genital ulcer disease often overlaps, a chancroid evaluation typically includes screening for HIV and other STIs.

Symptoms

What are the symptoms of chancroid?

Chancroid characteristically produces noticeable, painful ulcers, but sex partners can carry and pass on the infection without symptoms — which is why partners from the prior 10 days are examined and treated even when they feel well. Symptoms develop after sexual exposure; partners from the 10 days before symptoms began are considered at risk. That's exactly why testing matters — you can have it, pass it on, and never feel a thing.

Genital ulcers

  • One or more deep ulcers on the genitals
  • Ulcers are painful
  • Sores may be tender to touch
  • Unlike the syphilis chancre, the chancroid ulcer hurts

Lymph node involvement

  • Tender, swollen lymph nodes in the groin
  • Affected nodes can become pus-filled
  • Groin swelling often accompanies the ulcers
  • The combination of painful ulcer plus tender groin nodes is a key clue

The painful nature of the ulcer is an important distinguishing feature: the syphilis chancre is typically painless, whereas the chancroid ulcer is painful.

Left untreated

Why chancroid is worth catching early

Treated early, chancroid clears with antibiotics and causes no lasting harm. Left untreated, it can climb into the reproductive tract and beyond:

Increased HIV risk

Chancroid ulcers are a risk factor for both getting and passing on HIV, because the open sores break the skin barrier.

Poorer treatment response in some groups

Uncircumcised men and people with HIV may not respond as well to standard treatment and require closer follow-up.

U.S. data

How common is chancroid in the U.S.?

Rare
in the United States

Where you test and what it costs vary by location — see the by-location links below for chancroid testing where you live. Source: CDC — Chancroid (STI Treatment Guidelines, 2021).

How testing works

How a chancroid test works

Chancroid is detected with a nucleic-acid amplification test (NAAT) — the most accurate method — on a urine sample or a swab. You can do it at a lab, a clinic, or at home.

When to test

Seek evaluation promptly when a painful genital ulcer or tender groin lymph nodes develop.

After treatment

A definitive diagnosis requires identifying H. ducreyi on special culture media that is not widely available, so a probable diagnosis is often used.

Clinical (probable) diagnosis Most common
Sample
Physical exam of ulcers and lymph nodes
Results
Same visit

Based on painful genital ulcers with typical appearance plus negative syphilis and herpes testing.

H. ducreyi culture Definitive
Sample
Swab of ulcer
Results
Varies

Definitive diagnosis, but requires special culture media that is not widely available.

Syphilis and herpes testing
Sample
Blood and/or ulcer swab
Results
Varies

Used to rule out other causes of genital ulcers as part of a probable chancroid diagnosis.

What it costs: Varies by clinic and tests performed; ask your provider or local clinic.. Many public STI clinics offer low-cost or free evaluation of genital ulcers.. STI evaluation and treatment are commonly covered; check your plan..

If your result is positive

How is chancroid treated?

Chancroid is curable, and a single dose of antibiotic often cures it. Most people are re-examined a few days after starting therapy to confirm improvement.

Treat partners

Sex partners from the 10 days before symptoms began should be examined and treated, even if they have no symptoms.

Re-test after treatment

Re-examine 3–7 days after starting therapy to confirm the ulcer is improving.

Treatment & online care

Resistance note: Uncircumcised men and people with HIV may respond less well to treatment and need closer monitoring.

Prevention

How to prevent chancroid

  • Treat exposed partners

    Sex partners from the 10 days before symptoms started should be examined and treated, even without symptoms, to stop reinfection and spread.

  • Get evaluated promptly for ulcers

    Early evaluation of painful genital ulcers leads to faster treatment and reduces the time the ulcer can transmit infection — including HIV.

  • Test for HIV and other STIs

    Because chancroid raises HIV risk and overlaps with other ulcer-causing infections, broader STI testing is recommended.

Who is most at risk

Who is most at risk for chancroid?

Anyone who is sexually active can contract chancroid, but certain groups face significantly higher risk — and should test more frequently.

People with HIV
May respond less well to standard chancroid treatment and need closer follow-up.
Uncircumcised men
May have a poorer response to treatment than circumcised men.
Recent sex partners of infected people
Exposure within the 10 days before a partner's symptoms began carries risk even without symptoms.

Why it matters

Why STD testing matters

Find chancroid testing
  • Chancroid is curable — often with a single dose of antibiotic.
  • Its painful ulcer can be confused with syphilis and herpes, so accurate diagnosis matters.
  • Chancroid ulcers increase the risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV.
  • Treating exposed partners prevents reinfection and onward spread.
  • Some people respond less well to treatment and need close follow-up.

Browse by location

Chancroid testing by state & city

Jump to local chancroid testing — clinics and labs, prices and county rates — in your state or a popular city, or explore another test.

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Living with chancroid

Questions to ask your provider about chancroid

Chancroid is common, treatable, and nothing to be ashamed of — millions of Americans are diagnosed every year. The most useful next step after a positive result (or before a first test) is a direct conversation with a clinician. Here are the questions that matter most:

  • Is my chancroid test result definitive, or do I need a confirmatory test?
  • What treatment options are available to me, and how long until I'm no longer contagious?
  • Should I notify my recent partners, and can your office help me do that confidentially?
  • How soon can I re-test to confirm the infection has cleared?
  • Are there other STIs I should test for at the same visit?
  • Can this affect my fertility, pregnancy, or long-term health if left untreated?

Good to Know

Chancroid testing FAQs

Common questions about chancroid and chancroid testing, answered.

What causes chancroid?

Chancroid is a bacterial STI caused by <em>Haemophilus ducreyi</em>. It is spread through sexual contact and produces painful genital ulcers.

Is chancroid curable?

Yes. Chancroid is curable, and a single dose of antibiotic — azithromycin 1 g orally or ceftriaxone 250 mg intramuscularly — often cures it.

How is chancroid different from syphilis?

The chancroid ulcer is painful, while the primary ulcer of syphilis (the chancre) is typically painless. Both cause genital ulcers, so testing is used to tell them apart.

How is chancroid diagnosed?

A probable diagnosis is made when there are painful genital ulcers with a typical appearance plus negative testing for syphilis and herpes. A definitive diagnosis requires identifying <em>H. ducreyi</em> on special culture media that is not widely available.

What are the symptoms of chancroid?

One or more deep, painful genital ulcers along with tender, swollen, pus-filled lymph nodes in the groin.

Does chancroid increase HIV risk?

Yes. Chancroid ulcers are a risk factor for both getting and passing on HIV because they break the skin barrier. HIV testing is recommended for anyone diagnosed with chancroid.

Should my partner be treated?

Yes. Sex partners from the 10 days before your symptoms started should be examined and treated, even if they have no symptoms.

How soon should I follow up after treatment?

You should be re-examined 3–7 days after starting therapy to confirm the ulcer is improving. People who are uncircumcised or who have HIV may respond less well and need closer follow-up.

Editorial standards

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.

1 Sources

Data & references

  1. CDC — Chancroid (STI Tx Guidelines, 2021) https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/chancroid.htm