Definition

Yaws is a chronic illness which first affects the skin,
and then affects the bones.

Description

Yaws tends to strike children, particularly between
the ages of two and five. It is common in areas where
poverty and overcrowding interfere with good hygiene
practices. The most common locations are in rural areas
throughout Africa, Southeast Asia, and in locations bordering
the equator in the Americas.

Causes and symptoms

Yaws is caused by a spiral-shaped bacterium (spirochete)
called Treponema pertenue. This bacterium belongs
to the same family as the bacterium that causes syphilis.
Yaws is passed among people by direct skin contact.
It requires some kind of a scratched or insect bitten area
in order for the bacteria to actually settle in and cause
infection. An injured spot on the leg is the most common
part of the body through which the bacteria enter. Young
children, who are constantly bumping themselves in
play, who wear little clothing, who do not wash their
hands often, and who may frequently put their hands in
their mouths, are particularly susceptible.

The first symptom of yaws occurs three to four
weeks after acquiring the bacteria. The area where the
bacteria originally entered the skin becomes a noticeable
bump (papule). The papule grows larger and develops a
punched-out center (ulcer), covered with a yellow crust.
Lymph nodes in the area may become swollen and tender.

This first papule may take as long as six months to
heal. Secondary soft, gummy growths then appear on the
face, arms and legs, and buttocks. These soft, tumor-like
masses may grow on the soles of the feet, causing the
patient to walk in an odd and characteristic fashion on
the sides of his or her feet (nicknamed