A granuloma is a medical condition characterized by a noncancerous inflammation in the tissue. Typically, a granuloma encompasses only a small part of the tissue. For the most part, a person with a granuloma does not experience any signs or symptoms. In fact, most granulomas are found through an x-ray that is performed for unrelated reasons. When found during an x-ray examination, the granuloma is often mistaken for cancer.

The majority of granulomas are the result of an injury to the tissue, particularly as the result of infection. In some cases, a granuloma may occur in the lungs as well. In fact, the most common cause of granuloma is a fungal infection in the lungs, which is called histoplasmosis. Other conditions associated with a granuloma formation include berylliosis, syphilis, sarcoidosis, Crohn’s disease, tuberculosis, Churg-Strauss syndrome, and Wegener’s granulomatosis.

The granuloma that forms as the result of these conditions is generally a calcified granuloma. This type of granuloma contains deposits of calcium and usually takes time to develop. Therefore, most granulomas have been present in the body for a very long time before they are identified.

Another form of granuloma is granuloma inguinale, which is a bacterial infection of the genital area. This form of granuloma is caused by a bacteria called Calymmatobacterium granulomatis and mostly affects individuals living in tropical and subtropical regions, such as Guyana, Southeast India, and New Guinea. In addition, this sexually transmitted form of granuloma affects men more often than women, particularly homosexual males. An individual with granuloma inguinale develops blisters or lumps in the genital region, which ultimately become open sores. It takes about 80 years after exposure for granuloma inguinale to develop into open sores.

It is essential for granuloma inguinale to be treated right away, as it can cause a great deal of damage to the genitals and can spread to other areas of the body. In order to treat the condition, it is generally necessary to take antibiotics and to allow the area to heal for three to five weeks. In addition, a person who becomes infected by granuloma inguinale is capable of catching the disease again at a later time.