ABSTRACT
C. granulomatis is a pleomorphic, Klebsiella-like, encapsulated coccobacillus occurring intracellular in histocytes. It causes ‘granuloma inguinale’, a destructive, ulcerative, mainly sexually transmitted disease. Unlike in chancroid, which it may mimic, regional lymphadenopathy is absent. Lesions are large, chronic, and may be misdiagnosed as a carcinoma. Metastatic spread of the microorganism via the bloodstream may result in lesions in bones, joints, and viscera. As C. granulomatis cannot be grown on bacteriologic media, diagnosis is achieved by visualizing intracellular encapsulated coccobacilli in Giemsa-stained smears of ulcer scrapings.
