Yaws

Last revised by Rohit Sharma on 27 Jan 2024

Yaws, also known as framboesia, is a tropical disease produced by the Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue.

Yaws is a tropical disease. Infections have declined dramatically over the last century, however the disease is still present in several countries in Africa and Asia 1. Yaws often infects children, but can infect adults as well.

The first clinical sign of yaws is often a papilloma which can progress to an ulcer. The disease progresses through stages and can become latent 2. Untreated the disease affects skin, soft tissue and bone. In rare cases yaws can produce a disease called goundou, which disfigures the face due to tumor formation often with involvement of the facial bones 3.

Some manifestations of yaws, such as osteoperiostitis, can be seen on x-ray and CT 4-6. Some authors have claimed that yaws has a unique pattern on scintigraphy 4.

Management consists of antibiotics such as penicillins or azithromycin 7.

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