Most often the diagnosis is made clinically. Dark field microscopy of samples taken from early lesions (particularly ulcerative lesions) may show the responsible organism. Blood tests such as VDRL, Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) and TPHA will also be positive, but there are no current blood tests which distinguish among the four treponematoses.

It is currently thought that it may be possible to eradicate yaws although it is not certain that humans are the only reservoir of infection. A single injection of long-acting penicillin or other beta lactam antibiotic cures the disease and is widely available; and the disease is believed to be highly localised.

In April 2012, WHO initiated a new global campaign for the eradication of yaws, which has been on the WHO eradication list since 2011. According to the official roadmap, elimination should be achieved by 2020.

Prior to the most recent WHO campaign, India launched its own national yaws elimination campaign which appears to have been successful.

Certification for disease-free status requires an absence of the disease for at least five years. In India this happened on 19 September 2011. In 1996 there were 3,571 yaws cases in India; in 1997 after a serious elimination effort began the number of cases fell to 735. By 2003 the number of cases was 46. The last clinical case in India was reported in 2003 and the last latent case in 2006. India is a country where yaws is now considered to have been eliminated

In March 2013, WHO convened a new meeting of yaws experts in Geneva to further discuss the strategy of the new eradication campaign. The meeting was significant, and representatives of most countries where yaws is endemic attended and described the epidemiological situation at the national level. The disease is currently known to be present in Indonesia and Timor-Leste in South-East Asia; Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu in the Pacific region; and Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Togo in Africa. As reported at the meeting, in several such countries, mapping of the disease is still patchy and will need to be completed before any serious eradication effort could be enforced.

The disease is effectively treated with antibiotics, therefore, developed countries have a very low incidence of donovanosis; about 100 cases reported each year in the United States. However, sexual contacts with individuals in endemic regions dramatically increases the risk of contracting the disease. Avoidance of these sexual contacts, and sexually transmitted disease testing before beginning a sexual relationship, are effective preventative measures for donovanosis.

The first known name for this condition was "serpiginous ulcer", which dates to 1882. The proper clinical designation for donovanosis is now "granuloma inguinale". A granuloma is a nodular type of inflammatory reaction, and inguinale refers to the inguinal region, which is commonly involved in this infection. The disease is commonly known as donovanosis, after the Donovan bodies which are a diagnostic sign.

The causative organism, "Klebsiella granulomatis", was called "Calymmatobacterium granulomatis", and some sources still use this classification, from the Greek "kalymma" (a hood or veil), referring to the lesions that contain the bacteria. Prior to this, it was called "Donovania granulomatis", named after the Donovan bodies.

The specific name "granulomatis" refers to the granulomatous lesions. The organism was recently reclassified under the genus "Klebsiella", a drastic taxonomic change since it involved changing the organism's phylum. However, polymerase chain reaction techniques using a colorimetric detection system showed a 99% similarity with other species in the "Klebsiella" genus.

Adequate footwear is important to prevent trauma. General good health and nutrition also reduce ulcer risk. Adequate and prompt cleansing and treatment of ankle and leg skin breaks is also important. Improving hygiene and nutrition may help to prevent tropical ulcers.

Diagnosis is usually clinical, but as with yaws and bejel, serological tests for syphilis, such as rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and TPHA, will be positive, and the spirochetes can be seen on dark field microscopy of samples taken from the early papules.

Diagnosis is often made by visualization of yeast cells in tissue, or superficial scrapings. Radiography of the chest reveals interstitial infiltrates in the majority of cases.

Other conditions that can result in symptoms similar to the common form include contact dermatitis, herpes simplex virus, discoid lupus, and scabies.

Other conditions that can result in symptoms similar to the blistering form include other bullous skin diseases, burns, and necrotizing fasciitis.

The disease can be treated with penicillin, tetracycline (not to be used in pregnant women), azithromycin or chloramphenicol, and can be prevented through contact tracing by public health officials. A single intramuscular injection of long-acting penicillin is effective against endemic treponematoses including pinta, yaws, and bejel

From bubo pus or ulcer secretions, "H. ducreyi" can be identified. PCR-based identification of organisms is available. Simple, rapid, sensitive and inexpensive antigen detection methods for "H. ducreyi" identification are also popular. Serologic detection of "H. ducreyi" is and uses outer membrane protein and lipooligosaccharide.

Some of the investigations done for ulcer are:

- Study of discharging fluid: Culture and sensitivity

- Edge biopsy: Edge contains multiplying cells

- Radiograph of affected area to look for periostitis or osteomyelitis

- FNAC of lymph node

- Chest X-ray and Mantoux test in suspected tuberculous ulcer

Chancroid spreads in populations with high sexual activity, such as prostitutes. Use of condom, prophylaxis by azithromycin, syndromic management of genital ulcers, treating patients with reactive syphilis serology are some of the strategies successfully tried in Thailand.

Impetigo is usually diagnosed based on its appearance. It generally appears as honey-colored scabs formed from dried serum, and is often found on the arms, legs, or face. If a visual diagnosis is unclear a culture may be done to test for resistant bacteria.

Diagnosis is clinical. Sensation is tested using graded monofilament.

There is now considerable evidence to suggest that this disease is an infection. "Mycobacterium ulcerans" has recently been isolated from lesions and is unique to tropical ulcers. Early lesions may be colonized or infected by, "Bacillus fusiformis" (Vincent's organism), anaerobes and spirochaetes. Later, tropical ulcer may become infected with a variety of organisms, notably, staphylococci and/or streptococci. The condition has been shown to be transmissible by inoculation of material from affected patients.

Sulfonamides are the traditional remedies to paracoccidiodomycosis. They were introduced by Oliveira Ribeiro and used for more than 50 years with good results. The most-used sulfa drugs in this infection are sulfadimethoxime, sulfadiazine, and co-trimoxazole. This treatment is generally safe, but several adverse effects can appear, the most severe of which are the Stevens-Johnson syndrome and agranulocytosis. Similarly to tuberculosis treatment, it must be continued for up to three years to eradicate the fungus, and relapse and treatment failures are not unusual.

Antifungal drugs such as amphotericin B or itraconazole and ketoconazole are more effective in clearing the infection, but are limited by their cost when compared with sulfonamides.During therapy, fibrosis can appear and surgery may be needed to correct this. Another possible complication is Addisonian crisis. The mortality rate in children is around 7-10%.

Skin ulcers may take a very long time to heal. Treatment is typically to avoid the ulcer getting infected, remove any excess discharge, maintain a moist wound environment, control the edema, and ease pain caused by nerve and tissue damage.

Topical antibiotics are normally used to prevent the ulcer getting infected, and the wound or ulcer is usually kept clear of dead tissue through surgical debridement.

Commonly, as a part of the treatment, patients are advised to change their lifestyle if possible and to change their diet. Improving the circulation is important in treating skin ulcers, and patients are consequently usually recommended to exercise, stop smoking, and lose weight.

In recent years, advances have been made in accelerating healing of chronic wounds and ulcers. Chronic wounds produce fewer growth hormones than necessary for healing tissue, and healing may be accelerated by replacing or stimulating growth factors while controlling the formation of other substances that work against them.

Leg ulcers can be prevented by using compression stockings to prevent blood pooling and back flow. It is likely that a person who has had a skin ulcer will have it again; use of compression stockings every day for at least 5 years after the skin ulcer has healed may help to prevent recurrence.

Steps to prevent diabetic foot ulcers include frequent review by a foot specialist, good foot hygiene, diabetic socks and shoes, as well as avoiding injury.

- Foot-care education combined with increased surveillance can reduce the incidence of serious foot lesions.

Underlying cause of neuropathy is first treated. Necrotic portions of the wound are removed and wound is kept moist at associations. Infected ulcers are administered antibiotics.

Skin grafting is one of the options. It has been shown that ultrasound may increase the acceptance of graft at trophic ulcer sites.

The diagnosis is mainly clinical and centred in eliminating other more common causes for vulvar ulcers. Nevertheless, it has been proposed that Epstein-Barr detection using polymerase chain reaction for virus genome can help to reach sooner a diagnosis.

In the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Nursing has published guidelines in 'Pressure ulcer risk assessment and prevention' that call for identifying people at risk and taking preventative action; the UK National Standards for Care Homes (UK) to do so as well.

Internationally, the NPUAP, EPUAP and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance (Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong) published comprehensive evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in 2014. The guideline was developed by an international team of over 100 clinical specialists and updates the 2009 EPUAP and NPUAP clinical guidelines. The guideline includes recommendations on strategies to prevent pressure ulcers including the use of pressure redistributing support surfaces, repositioning and maintaining appropriate nutritional support.

Often a diagnosis of exclusion, skin biopsy shows a neutrophillic inflammatory infiltrate.

Diagnosis is mostly based on the clinical appearance and the medical history. The most important diagnostic feature is a history of recurrent, self healing ulcers at fairly regular intervals. Although there are many causes of oral ulceration, "recurrent" oral ulceration has relatively few causes, most commonly aphthous stomatitis, but rarely Behçet's disease, erythema multiforme, ulceration associated with gastrointestinal disease, and recurrent intra-oral herpes simplex infection. A systemic cause is more likely in adults who suddenly develop recurrent oral ulceration with no prior history.

Special investigations may be indicated to rule out other causes of oral ulceration. These include blood tests to exclude anemia, deficiencies of iron, folate or vitamin B12 or celiac disease. However, the nutritional deficiencies may be latent and the peripheral blood picture may appear relatively normal. Some suggest that screening for celiac disease should form part of the routine work up for individuals complaining of recurrent oral ulceration. Many of the systemic diseases cause other symptoms apart from oral ulceration, which is in contrast to aphthous stomatitis where there is isolated oral ulceration. Patch testing may be indicated if allergies are suspected (e.g. a strong relationship between certain foods and episodes of ulceration). Several drugs can cause oral ulceration (e.g. nicorandil), and a trial substitution to an alternative drug may highlight a causal relationship.

Tissue biopsy is not usually required, unless to rule out other suspected conditions such as oral squamous cell carcinoma. The histopathologic appearance is not pathognomonic (the microscopic appearance is not specific to the condition). Early lesions have a central zone of ulceration covered by a fibrinous membrane. In the connective tissue deep to the ulcer there is increased vascularity and a mixed inflammatory infiltrate composed of lymphocytes, histiocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The epithelium on the margins of the ulcer shows spongiosis and there are many mononuclear cells in the basal third. There are also lymphocytes and histiocytes in the connective tissue surrounding deeper blood vessels near to the ulcer, described histologically as "perivascular cuffing".

The lesion can be easily identified clinically. Arterial doppler and pulse volume recordings are performed for baseline assessment of blood flow. Radiographs may be necessary to rule out osteomyelitis.

The evidence for special footwear to prevent foot ulcers is poor.

"Clinical Evidence" reviewed the topic and concluded "Individuals with significant foot deformities should be considered for referral and assessment for customised shoes that can accommodate the altered foot anatomy. In the absence of significant deformities, high quality well fitting non-prescription footwear seems to be a reasonable option". National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence concluded that for people at "high risk of foot ulcers (neuropathy or absent pulses plus deformity or skin changes or previous ulcer" that "specialist footwear and insoles" should be provided.

People with loss of feeling in their feet should inspect their feet on a daily basis, to ensure that there are no wounds starting to develop. They should not walk around barefoot, but use proper footwear at all times.