Molecular characterization of Haemophilus ducreyi strains from Jackson, Mississippi, and New Orleans, Louisiana

Chancroid, a sexually transmitted disease caused by Haemophilus ducreyi, is one of the most common genital ulcer diseases in developing countries. In the United States, while less common, the disease has been associated with outbreaks in inner cities, particularly among persons who engage in sex for drugs or money, Two outbreaks of chancroid were recently studied in the Un ited States, one in New Orleans (from 1990 to 1992) and one in Jackson, Mis sissippi (from 1994 to 1995), By use of ribotyping, plasmid content, and an tibiotic susceptibility, the chancroid cases in New Orleans were found to b e due to a limited number of strains, consistent with a limited introductio n of H. ducreyi into this community. The H. ducreyi isolates from New Orlea ns and Jackson had different ribotype patterns, suggesting that the two out breaks were probably not linked.