What is Yaws?
Q: What is Yaws?
A: Yaws is a tropical infection of the skin, bones and joints caused by the spirochaete bacterium Treponema pallidum pertenue.
Q: How does it spread?
A: Yaws is spread by touching the fluid from the sores of a person with the disease. It is most commonly spread among children who play together.
Q: What are some symptoms of Yaws?
A: Symptoms include a round, hard swelling of the skin two to five centimeters in diameter that may break open and form an ulcer; painful joints and bones; fatigue; new skin sores; thickening and breaking open of palms and soles; changes in shape of bones (especially nose); large areas of dead skin leaving scars after five years or more.
Q: How can doctors diagnose Yaws?
A: Doctors are able to tell if it is yaws once lesions have appeared, but polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is the best method for diagnosis.
Q: How can we stop it spreading?
A: The main way to stop it spreading is by curing those who have it, which stops them passing it on to others. Where the disease is common, treating entire communities has been effective as well as improving cleanliness and sanitation.
Q: Is there any treatment for Yaws?
A: Yes, antibiotics can be used to treat yaws. Without treatment physical deformities occur in 10% of cases.
Q: When was one of first descriptions made about this disease?
A: One of the first descriptions was made in 1679 by Willem Piso.
