Question

I am studying diseases in Microbiology and one disease called: "YAWS"

Causitive agent

method of spread

Symptoms

Treatment

Annything current/ interesting about it?

Answer 1

"YAWS" is an infection affecting skin, bones and joints with conspicuous lesions. The disease is caused by a spirochete bacterium called Treponema pallidum pertenue.

The disease is spread by direct contact with the fluid from a lesion of an infected person.The contact is usually of a non-sexual nature. The disease is most common in children. The disease is prevalent in tropical areas like Africa, Asia and Pacific.

Initial lesion or mother yaws appears round, hard swelling of the skin and is 2 to 5 centimeters in diameter. The center of lesion may break open forming an ulcer. The spread of liquid oozing from lesion may produce daughter yaws. The skin lesions may heal with in 3 to 6 months of time. The appearance of lesions on palms of the hands and soles of the feet may cause desquamation. After weeks to years, joints and bones may become painful, fatigue may appear with new skin lesions. The skin may die producing scars.

Yaws is originated in tropical areas of Africa, and spread to other tropical areas of the world through immigration of individuals during the slave trade. The disease is also identified in non-human primates such as baboons, chimpanzees, and gorillas.

Treatment is carried out by a single intramuscular injection of penicillin, or by a course of penicillin, erythromycin or tetracycline tablets. A single oral dose of azithromycin was also be as effective similar to intramuscular penicillin.Primary and secondary stage lesions may heal completely.