chancre

Last reviewed 01/2018

The chancre is the primary sore of syphilis and occurs at the site of entry of the infection. This lesion is also known as a hard, Hunterian or true chancre.

The chancre is a hard ulcer, characteristically painless, and highly infective.

90% of chancres are genital, the rest are mostly anal.

Secondary infections of the chancre are uncommon, and they tend to heal within three to ten weeks.