• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Yaws

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Definition:

Yaws is a chronic infection caused by the bacteria Treponema pertenue , which primarily affects the skin, bones, and joints.

Alternative Names:

Frambesia tropica

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Yaws is an infection caused by the spiral-shaped bacterium (spirochete) called Treponema pertenue . It is closely related to the organism that causes syphilis , but this disease is not sexually transmitted. Yaws mainly affects children in rural, warm, tropical areas -- primarily Caribbean Islands, Latin America, West Africa, India, and Southeast Asia.

Yaws is transmitted by direct contact with skin lesions of infected people. Approximately two to four weeks after infection, the child develops a sore "mother yaw" where the organism entered the skin.

The sore appears as a "raspberry-like" growth or group of papules at the site of infection and is usually painless. These lesions may persist for months. Additional satellite lesions may appear shortly before or after the mother yaw heals. Children may also develop inflammation of the bones and fingers.

The final stage involves destructive lesions of the skin and bones which can lead to severe disfigurement and disability. It occurs in up to 20% of untreated individuals.

• Review Date: 11/27/2006
• Reviewed By: D. Scott Smith, M.D., MSc, DTM&H, Chief of Infectious Disease & Geographic Medicine, Kaiser Redwood City, CA & Adjunct Assistant Professor, Stanford University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.