A 29-year-old woman from Brazil presents to clinic with a complaint of several months of a slowly progressive perianal ulcer. She came to the United States approximately 3 weeks prior to starting a graduate school program. The ulcer is painless, and there is no associated lymphadenopathy. Physical examination is notable for a 4 by 5 cm perianal area of red, friable granulation tissue. Empiric treatments for genital herpes syphilis were given with no improvement, and test results for syphilis, herpes simplex virus, and HIV are all negative. She returns 1 week later, and during the examination, a wooden tongue depressor is gently applied to the ulcer and this causes bleeding. A diagnosis of granuloma inguinale is suspected based on the appearance of the lesion and the clinical course.
Which one of the following is the best next step to make a diagnosis of granuloma inguinale?

Figure 1. Donovan Bodies as Seen on Tissue Crush Biopsy Sample
This photomicrograph is taken of a tissue crush biopsy sample from a patient with granuloma inguinale. Note the multiple small intracellular Klebsiella granulomatis organisms within the large mononuclear cell in the center of the image.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Image Library CDC/Susan Lindsley, 1978

Figure 2. Donovan Bodies
This illustration shows multiple Donovan bodies inside a large mononuclear cell as seen on a tissue crush sample from a patient with granuloma inguinale. The Donovan bodies represent multiple intracellular Klebsiella granulomatis organisms.
Illustration by Jared Travnicek, Cognition Studio
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Question Last Updated
February 4th, 2025
February 4th, 2025
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