Treatment of chancroid. Comparison of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim with recommended therapies.

Thirty-five men with chancroid were randomly treated with oral sulfisoxazole, sulfisoxazole and tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, or intramuscular streptomycin. The highest rate of cures were obtained in 13 of 13 patients treated with streptomycin and in ten of ten patients treated with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. Only seven of nine patients treated with sulfisoxazole and five of eight treated with sulfisoxazole and tetracycline were cured. We conclude that the sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim combination is as efficacious as streptomycin and probably superior to sulfisoxazole and tetracycline in the treatment of chancroid.