Key facts

Yaws is a chronic childhood infectious disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum pertenue .

The disfiguring disease mainly targets the skin, bones, and joints

Yaws is highly contagious through direct skin-to-skin contact.

It can be effectively treated with a single dose of antibiotics.

Overview

Yaws is a neglected tropical disease that primarily occurs in poor, rural communities in warm, humid forest areas of West Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America. It is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum pertenue , which is closely related to syphilis, although yaws is not sexually transmitted.

If untreated, the disease can cause disfiguring and debilitating complications. Between 75 and 80 per cent of those infected are under 15 years of age.…