Reports of a so - called " flesh - eat " sexually transmitted contagion ( STI ) are doing the rounds after the disease has reportedly been diagnosed in the UK for the first metre . If , by any luck , all of this sounds jolly unpleasant to you , here ’s everything you need to know about it .

Multiple UK news outletsare reporting that a Freedom of Information ( FOI ) request , submitted by online pharmacy Chemist 4 atomic number 92 , has revealed that a woman in Stockport was   name with Donovanosis ( granuloma inguinale ) originally this yr .

Donovanosis is spread through having unprotected sex with an infected person , although it is possible to transmit the infection from female parent - to - kid and by passing inter-group communication , accord to theAustralasian Sexual Health Alliance .   Like all STIs , donovanosis can be prevented by apply good sexual urge – utilise a safety . If you do become infect , the contagion can be handle using a course of antibiotic drug .

As you might have think , the disease is n’t on the button “ flesh - feeding ” , per say . However , it cancause some passing nasty genital ulcers and lesions that give   the impression your   flesh is rotting . The ulcers set out off small and painless , but can finally deepen and spread around the venereal country . The wound are also full of blood vessels , so they ’re usually a deep cherry-red color and can be prone to hemorrhage . Due to the ulcers , the disease hasbeen describedas a “ important cobalt - cistron in facilitating HIV transmission . ”

In oneveryextreme display case , an infectedperson ’s penis literally fell off , a process known as auto - amputation , due to the trauma triggered by the lesions . However , this man had tested electropositive for HIV-2 and had left the infection untreated for at least six long time .

While this infection is almost unheard of in the UK , the US has around100 casesof donovanosis each yr . It ’s most common in tropic and semitropic areas , such as India , Papua New Guinea , the Caribbean , central Australia , and southern Africa . The largest known epidemic of the infection happen in Papua New Guinea between 1922 and 1952 , when around 10,000 cases were plant in a community of just 15,000 people .

So , in inadequate , donovanosis is not exactly " flesh - eating " , although it is a fairly unpleasant experimental condition . Nevertheless , if you practice good sexuality , you should n’t have too much to worry about . If you do catch the contagion , a straightforward course of action of antibiotic drug should have you covered .