Haemophilus ducreyi Associated with Skin Ulcers among Children, Solomon Islands

Abstract

During a survey of yaws prevalence in the Solomon Islands, we collected samples from skin ulcers of 41 children. Using PCR, we identified Haemophilus ducreyi infection in 13 (32%) children. PCR-positive and PCR-negative ulcers were phenotypically indistinguishable. Emergence of H. ducreyi as a cause of nongenital ulcers may affect the World Health Organization’s yaws eradication program.

Keywords

• Haemophilus ducreyi
• chancroid
• yaws
• ulcers
• pediatric
• children