- A dull red, hard, insensitive lesion that is the first manifestation of syphilis.
- An ulcer located at the initial point of entry of a pathogen.
[French, from Old French, from Latin cancer, tumor, crab.]
chancrous chan'crous (-krəs) adj.
chancre
Dictionary:
chan·cre (shăng'kər)  |
n.
| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: chancre |
For more information on chancre, visit Britannica.com.
| Dental Dictionary: chancre |
(shang′kur)
n
autochthonous ulcer
n
autochthonous ulcer
The primary lesion of syphilis, located at the site of entrance of the spirochete into the body, occurring about 3 weeks after contact. It begins as a papule and then develops into a clean-based shallow ulcer. Secondary infection may produce suppuration. Has the appearance of a buttonlike mass because of the contiguous induration and rolled border. Weeping characteristics also are present.
| Veterinary Dictionary: chancre |
The 2 to 4 in, hard, hot, painful lesion which develops at the site of tsetse-fly bites when the fly is a transmitter of trypanosomiasis. In human medicine, refers to the primary lesion of syphilis.
| Word Tutor: chancre |
IN BRIEF: n. - A small hard painless nodule at the site of entry of a pathogen (as syphilis).
Tutor's tip: "Cancer" is a malignant growth in the body or a wicked, spreading action or idea, a "canker" is a sore in the mouth, while a "chancre" is an ulcer caused by venereal disease.
| Wikipedia: Chancre |
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This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2008) |
A chancre (pronounced /ˈʃæŋkər/ SHANG-kər,[1]) is a painless ulceration formed during the primary stage of syphilis. This infectious lesion forms approximately 21 days after the initial exposure to Treponema pallidum, the gram-negative spirochaete bacterium yielding syphilis. Chancres transmit the sexually transmissible disease of syphilis through direct physical contact. These ulcers usually form on or around the anus, mouth, penis, and vagina. Chancres may diminish between three to six weeks without the application of medication.
In addition, chancres are associated with the sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis) surrounding area of the tsetse fly bite.
Contents |
Word Origin
The word "chancre" (French pronunciation: [ˌʃɑ̃kʁə]) means "little ulcer" in Old French. Related to the English "canker", they both come from the Latin cancer, meaning crab[2], which is a translation from the Greek word "καρκἰνοσ (karkínos)", also meaning crab.[3].
Comparison with Chancroid
There are many differences and similarities between the conditions chancre and chancroid (reference 1 and 2)
- Similarities
- Both originate as pustules at the site of inoculation, and progress to ulcerated lesions
- Both lesions are typically 1-2 cm in diameter
- Both lesions are caused by sexually transmissible organisms
- Both lesions typically appear on the genitals of infected individuals
- Both lesions can present at multiple sites and with multiple lesions
- Differences
- Chancre is a lesion typical of infection with the bacterium that causes syphilis, Treponema pallidum
- Chancroid is a lesion typical of infection with the bacterium Haemophilus ducreyi
- Chancres are typically painless, whereas chancroid are typically painful
- Chancres are typically non-exudative, whereas chancroid typically have a grey or yellow purulent exudate
- Chancres have a hard (indurated) edge, whereas chancroid have a soft edge
- Chancres heal spontaneously within three to six weeks, even in the absence of treatment
- Chancres can occur in the pharynx as well as on the genitals
See also
References
1. http://www.utdol.com/online/content/topic.do?topicKey=stds/7330
Notes
- ^ http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/chancres
- ^ http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2694
- ^ Ayto, John (1990). Dictionary of Word Origins. New York: Arcade Publishing, Inc. p. 94. ISBN 1-55970-214-1.
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved. eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; free trial. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Chancre". Read more |
