ENGLAND -- A viral story claiming a woman in the United Kingdom caught a rare, flesh-eating sexually transmitted disease, has been making the rounds on Facebook. So, we set out to verify the claim.
The source appears to be an online pharmacy that submitted a Freedom of Information request to hospitals across the U.K. inquiring about STD rates in the country, according to Newsweek. The pharmacy reportedly learned an unnamed woman between 15-25 in Stockport, England, was diagnosed with donovanosis sometime within the past year.
10News has been unable to independently confirm that report. But, we can verify that the disease in question is a real thing.
If a person comes in contact with the donovanosis disease, it's possible their genitals could "rot away."
The disease causes ulcers that first begin to appear on the genitals and pubic areas of the body. From there, the painless lesions appear somewhat "beefy red" and can spread, usually one to 12 weeks after infection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
U.S. infections are rare, and the disease mostly is prevalent in some tropical and developing areas, including India, the Caribbean and southern Africa.
"Donovanosis itself can be treated with antibiotics, time is of the essence," said Shamir Patel, a Chemist 4 U pharmacist speaking with the Liverpool Echo. He added: "Any delay could cause the flesh around the genitals to literally rot away."
The CDC lists various antibiotics on its website, though warns relapse can occur six to 18 months after what appears to be an effective therapy.
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