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Citation:
Moore C, Sharma R, Bell D, Yaws. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 11 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-70446
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.
Treatment and prognosis
Management consists of antibiotics such as penicillins or azithromycin 7.
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1. Mitjà O, Marks M, Konan DJ, Ayelo G, Gonzalez-Beiras C, Boua B, Houinei W, Kobara Y, Tabah EN, Nsiire A, Obvala D, Taleo F, Djupuri R, Zaixing Z, Utzinger J, Vestergaard LS, Bassat Q, Asiedu K. Global epidemiology of yaws: a systematic review. (2015) The Lancet. Global health. 3 (6): e324-31. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(15)00011-X - Pubmed
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2. Mitjà O, Asiedu K, Mabey D. Yaws. (2013) Lancet (London, England). 381 (9868): 763-73. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)62130-8 - Pubmed
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3. Mafart B. Goundou: a historical form of yaws. (2002) Lancet (London, England). 360 (9340): 1168-70. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(02)11205-0 - Pubmed
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4. du Cret RP, Aafedt BC, Griffiths HJ, Warner VT, Boudreau RJ, Kuni CC. Scintigraphic and radiologic manifestations of yaws. (1990) Clinical nuclear medicine. 15 (8): 580-1. doi:10.1097/00003072-199008000-00016 - Pubmed
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5. González-Beiras C, Vall-Mayans M, González-Escalante Á, McClymont K, Ma L, Mitjà O. Yaws Osteoperiostitis Treated with Single-Dose Azithromycin. (2017) The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene. 96 (5): 1039-1041. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.16-0943 - Pubmed
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6. Mitjà O, Hays R, Ipai A, Wau B, Bassat Q. Osteoperiostitis in early yaws: case series and literature review. (2011) Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 52 (6): 771-4. doi:10.1093/cid/ciq246 - Pubmed
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7. Marks M. Advances in the Treatment of Yaws. Trop Med Infect Dis. 2018;3(3):92. doi:10.3390/tropicalmed3030092 - Pubmed
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